Suicide Afflicted Yavatmal, (Maharastra) turns to Organic Farming with Success! Horrified by suicide trends of fellow farmers in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra (India), which has been a suicide belt of cotton farmers for quite some time, Vasant Pohekar and about 300-odd cotton growers in the area were inspired by Anand Subhedar to switch over to "poison-free" organic cotton farming. Vasant Pohekar says confidently, "The demand for organic cotton is going to grow," adding, that the farmers in his group are producing a wide range of other organic crops besides cotton that too have a great demand. "All organic crops are tastier and healthier as they are grown on the soil free from the 'poisonous' chemical fertilizers, and are rich in natural nutrients, and thus fetch a good price." He grows cotton on 12 acres while reserving the remaining 13 acres of his 25 acres land for a variety of pulses, wheat and chillies. Clear in their minds that their shift to organic farming had to be a hard-nosed business proposition, the group tied up with the Germany-based certification company Ecocert, as well as networking with other organic farming groups and research organisations in Maharashtra. Superior quality organic cotton has great demand these days, particularly in the West, and these farmers sell it directly to the mills that are in the business of thriving cotton exports. Anand Subedar hopes this 300-strong network of organic farmers will grow, and surely it will. Source: NEWKERALA.COM News Section