AP govt advises farmers to adopt natural farming techniques

Andhra Pradesh government today advised farmers to adopt natural farming techniques to achieve higher output as it involves usage of only natural products.

“Natural farming will benefit the farmers most as (under this) one does not require any chemical fertilisers but only cow dung, cow urine and other waste to feed cattle,” said Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a workshop on the “zero budget natural farming” here.

“Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is giving a thrust to the natural farming as he has been keen on improving the condition of farmers by preventing their suicides,” he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said a move is on to set up an industry of Neera, a sap extracted from various species of toddy palms, in East Godavari district.

Agricultural Minister Prathipati Pullarao said that a total of 1.25 lakh acres of land spread across 825 villages in 13 districts was being developed by employing natural farming methods.

“The processing units based on the coconut products products would soon come up in all coconut rich areas, which will give a fillip to coconut industry and farmers,” he said.

Natural farming exert Subash Palekar said, “Only 10 per cent utilisation of current usage of water and power will serve the purpose of natural farming.