A delegation of four scientists from the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE) called on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday.  During the meeting, the Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh was pioneering in natural farming as the state was the first in India to offer a minimum support price for products grown through natural farming practices with wheat being procured at Rs. 40 per kg and maize at Rs. 30 per kg. Additionally, cow milk was being purchased at Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 55 per litre.   The team, led by Prof. Allison Marie Loconto, Deputy Director of LISIS, included researchers Prof. Mireille Matt, Dr. Evelyne Lhoste, and Dr. Renee Van Dis are on a visit to Himachal Pradesh to learn about the advancements in natural farming in the state. Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh was set to become a leading state in natural farming within the next five to six years and emphasized the importance of product certification in natural farming. He said that the CETARA certification system had been introduced, which was being implemented in the state to ensure fair prices for the farmers.  He said that HIM-UNNATI scheme was being implemented in the state with a cluster-based approach which aims to produce and certify chemical-free produce, with plans to establish 2,600 agricultural groups involving approximately 50,000 farmers. Furthermore, the state government was also taking significant steps to boost the dairy sector and enhance milk production. The visiting INRAE scientists are on a three-week mission to Dr. Y.S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni and various other locations in the state. Their visit is part of the European Commission-funded ACROPICS project (Agroecological Crop Protection towards International Co-Innovation Dynamics and Evidence of Sustainability), which aims to advance co-innovation in agroecological crop protection. The delegation lauded the state governments efforts in promoting natural farming and praised the CETARA certification system. They said that INRAE would explore the possibility of adopting this certification system in other countries.

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