Prayagraj (UP), Nov 10 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi on Thursday urged farmers to focus on cultivation of pulses and oilseeds in order to make the country self-reliant in production of these commodities and reduce their imports.
Addressing the farmers at the Joint Divisional Rabi Productivity Review Seminar here, the agriculture minister said the country still imports 55 per cent of its edible oil requirement.
“The country is importing oil and pulses from abroad,” he added.
The minister said that farmers should focus on the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds.
Hamirpur is at number one position in the cultivation of lentils. On the other hand, the productivity of wheat in Sonbhadra is the lowest at 27.9 quintals per hectare. The officials should promote the cultivation of climate-friendly crops.
The minister said that the MSP (Minumum Support Price) of pulses and oilseeds has increased significantly in the last five years. In comparison to wheat, the MSP of gram is Rs 5,500 per quintal and that of mustard is Rs 6,000.
Farmers will have to increase the cultivation of pulses and oilseeds for more income from farming at low cost, he said.
Shahi also said that there is huge potential in vegetable cultivation. Profits in the cultivation of vegetables are higher than that in food grains. In vegetable cultivation, the farmer earn money in three months. That is why two centres of excellence are being opened at Chandauli and Kaushambi with an investment of Rs 12 crore each.
Agriculture Production Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh while addressing the seminar said that the state chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the agriculture minister have decided to get works worth Rs 10,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh from Agri Infra Fund. But very little work has been done from this fund in the state.
Singh said that like Prayagraj, there is a need to establish hi-tech nurseries in other districts of the state so that farmers will be able to get 30-35 lakh vegetable plants from one nursery.
Vegetable seeds are available at the rate of Rs 80,000 to one lakh rupees per kilogram. But farmers can get a lot of benefit if they get the saplings, he added. PTI RAJ CDN HVA
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