Haryana Sets Up Grain Market in Gurugram for Natural Farming Produce: Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana

Chandigarh, July 6 — In a major step to promote natural farming, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana announced that the state government has established a grain market in Gurugram dedicated to procuring crops grown through natural farming methods. A lab has also been set up at the market to check the quality of produce, after which a committee will decide the price and purchase the crops directly from farmers.

Speaking as the chief guest at the 7th Fruit Festival held at the Sub-Tropical Fruit Centre in Ladwa, the minister said Haryana’s goal is to bring one lakh acres under natural farming, with 10,000 acres already cultivated using this method and steadily expanding.

Rana inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp and planted a mango sapling on the campus. He also honoured ten progressive horticulture farmers with awards of ₹5,100, trophies, and appreciation certificates. The minister visited stalls showcasing various mango varieties and gathered insights from experts.

Innovative Research at Ladwa Centre

Highlighting innovations at the Ladwa fruit centre, Rana shared that scientists are developing a mango tree whose fruit could fetch up to ₹1 lakh per kilogram in the market. Moreover, a unique technique has been devised to graft six different fruit varieties onto a single tree, allowing farmers to harvest diverse produce from one plant.

Established in 2016 under Indo-Israel collaboration, the Ladwa centre has scaled up from producing 10,000 saplings to now preparing one lakh saplings annually for farmers. Research is being conducted on crops such as mango, litchi, pear, peach, and sapodilla.

Expanding Horticulture and Allied Activities

Rana said the government plans to establish 17 horticulture centres across the state, of which 11 are already operational. New sub-centres for litchi in Ambala and strawberries in Yamunanagar are planned soon. He urged farmers to diversify into horticulture, fishery, beekeeping, dairy, and other allied sectors instead of depending solely on wheat and paddy.

He emphasized that the government adapts its schemes based on feedback and challenges faced by farmers. “Farmers are a crucial pillar of our nation. They must embrace modern practices and diversify to boost income,” he said.

Rana also highlighted the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, under which the state compensates farmers if their produce sells below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the market, protecting them from financial losses.

Additionally, he announced plans to convert pits left by mining activities into fish farming ponds, contributing to higher incomes across various sectors. He expressed confidence that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027.

The event was attended by Chairman Dharamveer Mirzapur and farmers from across Haryana.