Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Mr Giriraj Singh today said that the Union government is committed for promoting diversification in agriculture and food processing. He urged the Punjabi farmers to venture into diversification in agriculture so that they can reap good financial dividends. He said this while speaking to farmers during his visit to the "Indo Canadian Swine Breeders Farm" owned by Mr Sukhwinder Singh Kotli at village Kotli, near here today.Started in the year 1999 from only three pigs, the Indo Canadian Swine Breeders Farm now boasts of having around 300 pigs. Started by state awardee progressive farmer Sukhwinder Singh Kotli, he imported semen of swine from Canada in the year 2011 with the help of PAU Kisan Club. At present he is supplying pig meat to outlets and companies in Delhi, Chandigarh and even in Ludhiana.
While speaking to media persons on the occasion, Mr Giriraj Singh said that the purpose of his visit to Indo Canadian Swine Breeders Farm was to encourage Sukhwinder Singh Kotli and all other such farmers who are diversifying in agriculture. He said that there are several schemes of the Union government as well as of the Ministry of MSME that can benefit the farmers in a big way. He said that the Union government also provides subsidy to such farmers for the promotion of their products, for research and development and even for setting up machinery for the processing of their products.The Union Minister assured Sukhwinder Singh that the Ministry of MSME would help him in every aspect so that other farmers also feel motivated.Mr Sukhwinder Singh Kotli thanked the Union Minister for his visit to his farm. He said that in the absence of processing machinery at present, he is supplying only raw material to the companies.Prominent among those present on the occasion included BJP District President Mr Rajinder Arora, Mr Bikram Singh Cheema, Mr Jaswant Singh Chhapa, besides several others.Later in Ludhiana, Mr Giriraj Singh held a meeting with the representatives of the local industry as well as the District Administration.