Chief Minister of the Indian State of Punjab, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, is calling on the Government of India to support the cultivation of alternative crops to paddy and wheat, reports Yes Punjab.

Punjab has plans to reduce the area under paddy from 28 to 16 lakh (2.8 to 1.6 million) hectares over a period of 6 years. Agroforestry would constitute 2 lakh (200,000) hectares, maize: 4 lakh hectares, cotton: 2 lakh hectares, sugarcane: 1.5 lakh hectares, fodder: 1.5 lakh hectares and pulses and fruits and vegetables: 1 lakh hectare.

According to Badal, Punjab farmers have played a pivotal role in securing national food security and making the country self-reliant in food grad production, but this has come at a cost­ depletion of soil fertility and a declining water table.

To encourage the uptake of agroforestry, Badal has requested long term bank finance through soft loans or concessional rates for farmers as well as incentivizing the establishment of hi-tech wood industries.

Read the full story: Badal demands Rs. 5000 cr from Centre to launch technology mission for diversification of Agriculture