Environmental Threats of High-Density Farming in India: Insights from an Agriculture Expert

Renowned Indian agriculture expert Devinder Sharma has raised concerns about the adverse effects of high-density farming on India's environment. According to Sharma, the rapid extraction of nutrients and elements from the soil due to high-density cultivation could lead to significant environmental consequences in the near future. Speaking on the issue, Sharma emphasized the importance of adopting local farming practices rather than imitating Western methods.

Sharma expressed his belief that the promotion of high-density cultivation would pose a major threat to the environment in the near future. He observed that high-density cultivation was being promoted everywhere he went, whether it was in Srinagar, Himachal, or Tamil Nadu, indicating its prevalence across the country.

Sharma emphasized the need to prioritize indigenous agricultural practices and cater to the demands of the country rather than blindly following European and Western models. He expressed concern that if the trend continued, it could result in irreparable damage to the environment, underscoring the urgency of addressing this issue. In addition to his concerns about high-density farming, Sharma stressed the importance of preserving ecology and biodiversity, particularly in states like Himachal. He called for increased research efforts in agriculture and horticulture institutes to develop sustainable farming practices that reduce reliance on harmful chemicals.

Regarding organic farming, Sharma stated that extensive research was required. He had expected the two universities in the state, Palampur and Solan Agriculture and Horticulture Universities, to conduct research on promoting organic farming.

However, this had not been practically viable. Sharma emphasized the need to reduce the use of chemicals in Himachal Pradesh, which possesses 1 percent of the world's biodiversity, to maintain it. He expected scientists, in collaboration with the government, to develop a new and special model. Sharma also drew attention to the distressing situation faced by farmers in India and emphasized the need for minimum support prices for agricultural products. He cited instances where farmers were forced to discard their produce due to plummeting prices, such as the cases of onions in Maharashtra and ladyfinger and garlic in Chhattisgarh.

According to Sharma, farmers across the country were facing distress, not just in northwestern areas. He compared the outcry over a 20 percent tax imposed on credit card users with the lack of concern for the plight of farmers. Sharma urged that minimum support prices should be recognized as the legal right of farmers. He called for the regulation of trade to ensure that farmers received respectable returns on their investments. Sharma highlighted the issue of exorbitant commissions charged by the market, ranging from 900 percent to 2000 percent, as a major problem that needed to be addressed.

Sharma added that to strengthen the applied plantation-driven economy in Himachal Pradesh, significant measures need to be taken by both the state and union governments. It was noted that the union government had recently imposed a 50 percent duty on apple imports, but it was believed that it should be increased further in order to safeguard Indian apples from inexpensive imported alternatives.