Experts call for greater effort to promote organic farming

KOCHI: Experts at the opening session of three day Biofach India organic fair that got underway here felt that greater efforts will be needed for the promotion of organic farming in the country.

This the seventh time in the country and the second time in Kerala that the fair jointly organised by NuernbergMesse India and co-organised by international competence centre for organic agriculture (ICCOA) is being held.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Tej pratap, vice chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir university of agricultural sciences and technology of Kashmir, said organic farming could be expanded only with the support of government agencies.

Farmers are discouraged by the fact that they are not getting sufficient profit. `` It should be seen as a part of living rather than a profit making exercise,'' he said. According to Lakshmi Rana, chairperson of Uttarkhand Organic Commodity Board, in the initial phase of organic farming expenditure will be high and yield will be low and more farmers could be attracted only with low expenditure and high yield.

John Rohde, consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany said food security and food processing will be given high priority in the Indo-German joint ventures.