Bihar inks pact with Sikkim for organic crop certificate

Patna, Nov 1 (IANS) The Bihar government on Wednesday signed an agreement with Sikkim, India's first fully organic state, for certification of organic crops produced by its own farmers.

At present, organic farming has begun in the state on a large scale but there is no facility for certification of crops, said Bihar Agriculture Minister Prem Kumar.

"Bihar has signed an agreement with Sikim, which is a 100 per cent organic state, and now Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency will give certification of organic crops to farmers through Bihar State Seed Certification Agency," said Prem Kumar, adding his state will soon become a fully organic state like Sikkim.

"We have decided to launch a unique plan to develop organic corridor alongside both banks of river Ganga under the proposed five-year agriculture roadmap," he said, adding that areas from Patna to Nalanda district and Patna to Bhagalpur alongside Ganga have been identified as the areas.

President Ram Nath Kovind is set to formally launch the third Bihar agriculture roadmap on November 9 here.

Officials of the Agriculture Department said that organic farming is one of the main thrusts of the agicultural roadmap. Initially, the government will encourage farmers to go for organic vegetable cultivation.

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