Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Wednesday directed the rollout of new permanent natural farming sales centres across the state, mandating five centres at the municipal corporation level, three at the district level, and one at the taluka level — all to be made operational within a month. The directive, issued from Gandhinagar on 3 June, aims to strengthen the marketing backbone for chemical-free produce in Gujarat.

Key Directives Issued

The instructions came during a video conference with district collectors, district development officers, and municipal commissioners convened to review and scale up natural farming implementation. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, and State Minister Ramesh Katara participated in the meeting.

The Governor said strengthening the sale and distribution system for naturally grown produce was essential to support farmers shifting away from chemical inputs. He warned that excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides had contaminated soil, water, and food.

What the Governor Said

‘We must bring Mother Earth back to life,' Devvrat said, framing natural farming as linked not only to agriculture but also to public health and the prevention of serious diseases. He described the judicious use of natural resources as a moral responsibility of both citizens and government systems.

Referring to state-level energy measures, the Governor said: ‘Adjustments in the timing of streetlight operations had resulted in electricity savings of more than Rs 25 crore across Gujarat.' He suggested switching off streetlights 35 minutes before sunrise and switching them on 35 minutes after sunset.

Chief Minister's Push

Chief Minister Patel called for natural farming to be implemented in mission mode, urging district and municipal administrative heads to bring all farmers into the system. ‘The transition could be achieved by scientifically explaining the benefits and importance of natural farming to farmers and ensuring coordinated administrative efforts,' Patel said.

He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advocated wider adoption of such practices for long-term public health considerations. Patel added that if senior officials personally adopted natural farming, it would strengthen public outreach.

Why It Matters

Gujarat has been positioning itself as a frontline state in the Centre's natural farming push, with the Governor regularly visiting villages and fields to engage farmers directly. Agriculture Minister Vaghani said natural farming had become a necessity, and acknowledged the state government's continued support in setting up sales centres for natural produce.

Vaghani urged senior officials to adopt natural farming in open spaces at their residences as a visible example. The expanded sales-centre network is expected to be operational by early July, with district administrations tasked to report progress.