Nabha, June 29: With none other than the Prince of Wales eager to market the organic produce of some 30 villages here under his brand, Duchy Originals, it’s return of royalty to Nabha in Punjab. The erstwhile princely state had its first brush with royalty way back in the year 1755 when Raja Hamir Singh established the state after declaring sovereignty by minting coins independent of the Mughals and the Afghans.

Prince Charles, who is spreading his Duchy Originals brand to America and India to promote organic food and help farming communities, has an ambitious plan to quadruple its annual turnover from £50 m to £200 m, as part of a five-year plan. To begin with, his Bhumi Vardan Foundation has this year roped in 160 farmers across 30 villages in Nabha — such as Galwati, Ghanurki, Kameli, Bina Heri — to undertake organic farming in 322 acres of land. It plans to bring 1,500 acres of land in Nabha under organic farming in two years and the process for certification of the produce by IMO, Bangalore, accredited by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) will begin this year to ensure that the produce can be marketed internationally.

Interestingly, it is about one royalty joining hands with the other. Duchy’s choice for Nabha has been due to the initiatives on organic farming being undertaken by the Nabha Foundation of UK-based Sun Group. The group’s Managing Director Uday Kemka’s mother belongs to the royal family of Nabha. His foundation is spearheading organic farming revolution in the area by providing all the necessary linkages, such as extension services, and certification.

Now, the Bhumi Vardan Foundation and NGO Kheti Virasat, are implementing organic farming here along with the Nabha Foundation and plan to bring nearly 3,000 acres of land in Nabha under organic farming in three years, according to Nirmal Singh, programme executive (livelihood) of the Foundation.

It is not merely good return that is making farmers bite the bait. For 55-year-old Inderjeet Singh, who has undertaken organic farming in the entire five acres he owns, it is also a great service to his state. “Our state’s soil has become poisonous due to the overuse of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Though the per-acre yield is 25 per cent less than that achieved through use of chemicals, it is compensated by nearly double rates organic produce fetches us,” he adds.

Presently, the Nabha Foundation has a network of 150 farmers, who initially started organic farming in barely two to five acres of their land. “But now they are willing to increase their land under organic farming and many more are eager to join us,” says Singh, adding that they are trying to develop a package of practices for organic farming in Punjab and have formed the Punjab Organic Farmers’ Association (POFA), a network for advocating organic farming.

It is not just the British royalty that is patronising organic farming here. The present descendent of the Nabha royalty, Tikka Hanumant Singh, is also an organic farming enthusiast and for Nabha, it is beginning of a new royal era — the coming together of two royalties for a common cause.