The Kerala government will formally declare some farming areas in Wynad and Idukki districts as fully organic on January 30.

Agriculture minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran said the decision was aimed at promoting organic farming in the state in a big way. The government had adopted an organic farming policy in order to promote organic methods in cultivating crops like paddy, spices and tea.

Speaking to media persons at Nelliampathy, near Palakkad, he said the formal announcement of fully organic areas would be a beginning in the government's efforts at declaring some panchayats as fully organic by next year, leading to conversion of the whole state as organic in the long run.

Retnakaran was at Nelliampathy to inaugurate the Rs 2.5 crore biotech lab of Poabs Group.

To encourage farmers to switch to organic farming, the government is also planning to set up organic markets in different parts of the state.

It would also set up a biotech laboratory to ensure availability of quality farm inputs like organic manure , bio fertilisers and bio control agents, he said, adding the state Agriculture University was taking steps in this direction.

Source: www.business-standard.com