In order to ensure that the farmers get base price fixed for vegetable crops, Haryana government will launch Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (Price Deficit Cover Scheme) from 1 January .

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister OP Dhankar said that under the new scheme to be implemented from 1 January in the coming year, the state government would fix a base price for the vegetable crops and initially state’s four main such crops including potato, onion, tomato and cauliflower would be covered under the scheme.

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He said, “The main objective of the scheme is to make sure that the farmers not to face the distress sale of these vegetables. Under the said scheme, the government would compensate the farmers in case of sale of these vegetables below the fixed base price.”

The initiative has been taken to realize the vision of Prime Minister NarendraModi to double the income of farmers by the year 2022, he added.

The minister said, “The government is committed to ensure that the farmer gets fair price for his produce. For this, the state government has decided to come out with a decision of fixing a base price for these vegetables. the base price will be equivalent to cultivation cost.”

Besides, the state government is laying great stress on crop diversification and to make maximum use of Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) markets for selling its fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers, Haryana government has decided prepare its farmers to adopt the concept of Peri-urban agriculture on the pattern of China’s Beijing, he added.

Dhankar said, “Agricultural products being perishable, have a short life. Therefore, the farmers  must cultivate need based crops in areas adjoining cities. By adopting Peri-urban agriculture, farmers could make more money as compare to the traditional agriculture. Thus, emphasis is being laid on bringing 25 per cent of the cultivable area under horticulture. The state government is setting up an International Vegetable and Fruit market on over 500 acres at Gannaur in Sonepat district while a flower market at Gurgaon to boost the horticulture farming in the state.”

The Centre of Excellence for Fruits and Vegetables have been established in the state under Indo-Israel Project and similar projects in milk production would soon be opened in the state. A delegation of Israel is visiting Haryana from 18 to 20 December and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would be signed, he added.