CM Sukhu on Tuesday said that the state government has set a goal to connect one lakh farmers with natural farming practices during 2026. He noted that continuous efforts are being made to motivate farmers to shift towards this sustainable method, which reduces input costs and improves income.
Sharing progress, he said that over 2.22 lakh farmer and horticulture families have already adopted natural farming across the state. The initiative has now covered nearly all panchayats, reaching 99.3 percent areas, and is being practiced on more than 38,000 hectares of land.
The Chief Minister informed that more than two lakh farmers have been registered under natural farming, out of which around 1.98 lakh have received certification. He said the Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana promotes the use of traditional, eco-friendly inputs like cow dung, cow urine and locally available plant materials, while discouraging chemical fertilizers. The scheme focuses on environmental protection, diversified cropping and lowering farming expenses.
Highlighting incentives, he said the state is providing the highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the country for naturally grown produce. MSP for wheat has been increased to ₹80 per kg, maize to ₹50, barley from Pangi Valley to ₹80, and turmeric to ₹150 per kg.
He further stated that Pangi subdivision has been declared the first fully natural farming subdivision in the state. Ginger has also been brought under MSP for the first time at ₹30 per kg. In addition, procurement prices for milk have been raised to ₹61 per litre for cow milk and ₹71 per litre for buffalo milk.
Emphasizing the significance of agriculture, the Chief Minister said it continues to be the backbone of the state’s economy, with a large rural population dependent on it. He added that the government is working to strengthen the rural economy through farmer-centric policies and better market access, including marketing natural produce under the ‘Him’ brand.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
