New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said that, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has huge potential to scale up organic farming. Currently, in about 321 hectares of the Union Territory, organic farming is being taken up on a small scale..
In Port Blair, Singh said "The island has immense potential and is favourably placed for organic farming due to less use of chemical fertilisers and abundant species." .
He said in a statement, the aim is to convert the UT into an organic farming island and therefore efforts are being made to create more awareness among farmers and consumers..
The Central Island Agricultural Research Institute (CIARI) has developed model coconut organic farms to showcase to farmers, the minister said while highlighting the measures being taken..
The minister further said that, since identifying authentic organic produce in the islands is a major challenge, the authorities have been working to train employees and implement a partnership guarantee model and organic markets are being developed through local marketing programmes so that organic produce can be made available to household consumers..
"Organic farming should be promoted with the same spirit as Green Revolution," Singh added.
In order to ensure sale of organic produce, the administration is working to develop Andaman Bazaar. Besides, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has taken the responsibility of organic exports, he said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
