Shillong, Aug 27: As Meghalaya seeks to reduce its dependence on chemical fertilisers, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, on Thursday, informed the Assembly that the State is poised to become the largest area under organic farming, hectare-wise, in the country.Intervening during Question Hour on the third day of the Assembly session, Sangma said the certification process is currently underway and Meghalaya would receive the requisite certification in the near future. “The whole world and the country are slowly moving towards organic farming owing to its benefits,” Sangma said. He said the Meghalaya is currently in a transition phase, gradually moving away from the use of fertilisers towards organic farming. The Chief Minister said the State government is also discouraging the use of chemical fertilisers and that farming with fertilisers is permitted only in notified areas. Earlier, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Timothy D Shira, replying to a question by Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on steps taken to check the unreasonable increase in fertiliser prices, said the sale of fertilisers is restricted to the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) notified by the government. Shira also elaborated on the various steps taken by the government to check the increase in prices. He informed that the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985 has been strictly enforced to regulate distribution, weekly inspections are being conducted by Fertilizer Inspectors to check the sale of fertilizers.