DINDIGUL: Organically grown medicinal plants would not only fetch better income to farmers but also scale down costs. Medicinal properties would be high in the organically grown plants when compared to conventionally grown ones, said P. Subramanian, Professor of Environmental Sciences, Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore.

Concerned about side-effects of chemicals on farming lands, Maharashtra government has taken an initiative to encourage organic farming in the state and come up with a policy draft for the purpose.

"Repeated use of fertilisers and pesticides have reduced fertility of the land.

MIRZA, Sept 22

Pune To deal with the unaffordable expenses of certification for small and marginal farmers, a Participatory Guarantee system
(PGS) may be introduced in all states by December 2010.

Pune Even as the state Agriculture Department maintains that it has a draft organic farming
policy ready that might be implemented soon, farmers don

NEW DELHI, 15 SEPT: Though opinion is divided on the risks and benefits associated with genetically modified (GM) crops, human health concerns over pesticide use can be addressed by these crops, according to agriculture ministry officials.

Sources said the damage caused by pests to the production of brinjal in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, UP and West Bengal

Gangtok, Sept 8: A presentation and interactive session on organic farming was organized by Food Security and Agriculture Development Department at Chintan Bhawan on Monday. The Government of Sikkim has set a target to convert the State into totally organic State by 2015. The Food Security and Agriculture Development Department had invited FIBL, Switzerland to deliver a talk on organic farming.

T.

Jorhat, Sept. 1: Tea and organic compost have changed the fortunes of Meleng Grant villagers living on the periphery of Gibbon wildlife sanctuary in Assam