Punjab to sign MOU on organic farming with UK

Samrala, Ludhiana, Mar 22 (UNI) Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said Punjab will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UK government for the promotion of organic farming in the state.

This MOU will be signed during the visit of Prince Charles to India and Punjab later this month, Capt Singh disclosed while talking to mediapersons here.

He said the state government had already laid focus to promote the organic farming of various crops keeping in view the increase in the diseases like cancer and skin disease etc. Due to the excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides in the agriculture sector these diseases were on the rise in Punjab, he added.

The Chief Minister said the crops produced through organic farming have a higher demand all over the world and fetch nearly 40 per cent higher prices in the international markets. This would further add to the income of the farmers of the state, he added.

He also added that organic farming also helped in improving the fertility of the soil by creating a ecological balance and in saving a lot of unnecessary expenditure on the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.

UNI HS SC BS1850