Bandeppa Kashempur — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur on Wednesday hinted that separate agricultural policies will be drawn up for each taluk as the problems and needs of each area are different.

Addressing presspersons here, he said officials from the department will be sent to every taluk for gathering information from farmers on crops being raised, productivity, market conditions and agro-processing facilities available.

Mr. Kashempur said that the purpose of the survey is to learn about ground realities and use the information to formulate a "unique agriculture policy".

He said he has been discussing the issue with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Every taluk is known for a particular crop for its soil and rainfall pattern, he added.

The Minister, who held a meeting on organic farming with Subhash Palekar of Maharashtra and officials, said he will meet 25 farmers who have used organic methods of farming and seek their views on changes in policy. Officials have been asked to visit farmers who have adopted organic farming and report to him on its benefits. As an experiment, organic farming will be introduced in 100 hectares in each taluk, and farmers will be given training, he said.

Mr. Kashempur said farmers cultivating ginger have found that the use of organic manure brought down the yield only marginally.

Bidar Staff Correspondent reports:

Mr. Kashempur told The Hindu that a four-hour-long meeting with Mr. Palekar and 36 other farmers who have adopted organic farming was held on Tuesday.

He said the Government will organise a five-day training programme in the "Palekar method" of farming early next month in Davanagere or Hubli.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha President Basavaraj Tambake thanked the Government for the plan to promote the Palekar method.

He said it has been used in the Adichunchanagiri Math, where many types of crops have been grown.

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