Meghalaya no to chemical fertilizers

Meghalaya is doing away with chemical fertilizers and pesticides which reportedly causes millions of cases of pesticide poisoning every year, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told the assembly today.
He said the government's agricultural department has sorted out to produce food that are safer which adhere to the National Program of Organic Production (NPOP) standards and that are nutritionally more acceptable.
An attempt is also made to introduce bio-fertilizer to improve the health condition of soils, he said.
The Chief Minister was replying to a call attention motion made Opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) legislator Titos W Chyne who alleged that farmers in the state are in distress.

"These alternatives (bio fertilizers and human-friendly pesticides) are being popularized and incentivized through an integrated plant health management system, which will produce food that are safer, that adhere to the National Program of Organic Production (NPOP) standards and that are nutritionally more acceptable," Mukul said.
The non-judicious use of chemical fertilizers has led to poor soil health management. Besides, over use of chemical pesticides has resulted in evolution of virulent strains of pests and diseases in the crops, he said.

Farmers are also being trained in the production of on-farm compost, vermi-compost and green manuring, as well as the use of bio-fertilizers, in order to improve soil health, the chief minister said.

The government is launching the Mission Organic, Mukul said, adding that this will usher in a production regime which takes into consideration the health, safety and prosperity of all the stakeholders, especially the farmers and the citizens of the state.
However, due to reported high demand of chemical fertilizers during the current year which is in a transition period, the Chief Minister said the Centre has been requested to allot and release 3000 MT of fertilizer which will address the immediate needs of the current growing season.