Shimla, December 6 – Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the launch of maize flour under the brand name ‘Himdoot,’ produced exclusively through natural farming methods.

This initiative aims to promote sustainable agriculture and enhance farmers' incomes.

Over 4,000 quintals of maize have been procured from 1,506 farmer families practicing natural farming across the state, except in Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts. Solan district led the procurement with 1,140 quintals, followed by Chamba (810 quintals) and Mandi (650 quintals).

The Chief Minister highlighted that Himachal Pradesh offers the country’s highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat and maize under natural farming practices—₹40 per kilogram for wheat and ₹30 per kilogram for maize.

Currently, natural farming spans 35,000 hectares in the state, benefiting 1.98 lakh farmers. Of these, 1.5 lakh farmers have received free certification, with an additional 36,000 being linked to the initiative.

To support farmers, the state government has upgraded infrastructure at 10 agricultural mandis to facilitate hassle-free marketing of natural produce.

The government is also connecting agriculture with employment through phase three of the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana, launched with a ₹680 crore budget.

Highlighting the significance of agriculture and horticulture in the state’s economy, Sukhu said, “With 90% of the population residing in villages, the government is committed to strengthening the rural economy through direct monetary support to farmers.”

He also mentioned that the state is buying cow milk at ₹45 per liter and buffalo milk at ₹55 per liter, while increasing the daily MNREGA wage to ₹300—a historic ₹60 hike. These measures aim to make farming a sustainable and lucrative livelihood for Himachal’s rural communities.