Addressing a state-level function on the concluding day of the 55th Cooperative Week celebrations, on Thursday, the minister said:

“Farmers will have to change their approach and adopt alternative farming practices, which will fetch maximum profits with minimum investments and expenditure.” He added that the adoption of dairy farming and vegetable production are the other viable alternatives.

He said that cooperatives will be strengthened for the economic and social benefit of farmers and Markfed will start special projects towards the same. The action plan in this regard has already been prepared, he said.

He also laid the foundation stone of Markfed’s Rs 6.5 crore Basmati processing plant and inaugurated a retail-cum-extension centre of agri inputs for the farmers.