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Omkar Nath of Palamu started extracting oil from lemon grass and peppermint by installing a distillation plant in his field, which has increased the income of himself and the nearby farmers.
Nowadays, the trend of adopting modern farming among farmers is increasing rapidly. Instead of traditional farming, they are now turning to such crops which can yield better profits at lower costs. In one such category, the names of aromatic crops – lemon grass and peppermint are emerging rapidly. But extracting oil from these crops remains a big challenge for the farmers. Converting this challenge into an opportunity, Omkar Nath, a farmer of Padwa block of Palamu district, has installed a distillation plant in his farm. This is not only increasing their income, but nearby farmers are also benefiting from it.
Omkar Nath has been cultivating peppermint since 2021. This farming was giving them good profits right from the beginning, but the problem of oil extraction was the biggest hurdle. For this he had to go to other places many times, which increased both time and cost. He found a solution to this problem with the help of CMF Lucknow and installed a distillation plant in his own farm. Now they extract oil themselves and are earning profit by selling it directly in the market.
Good prices are available in the market
Omkar Nath says that the cost per acre of lemon grass cultivation is around Rs 20 to 25 thousand. From this, up to one quintal of oil is extracted, which fetches a high price in the market. Another big advantage of farming is that Nilgai does not harm these crops, whereas normal crops have to suffer heavy damage. This is the reason why many farmers of the area are now turning to aromatic crops.
How does a distillation plant work?
According to the farmer, his distillation plant consists of a 500 liter capacity tank, condenser and a small tank. In this, one fourth of the 500 liter tank is filled with water and peppermint or lemon grass leaves are added to the remaining part. Heat is provided by lighting a stove below and after about 4 to 5 hours of the process, 4 to 5 liters of oil comes out. This oil is sold in the market at the rate of Rs 1000 to 1200 per liter. Omkar Nath has till now extracted about 20 liters of oil and sold it at the rate of Rs 960 per litre. With the installation of the distillation plant, the nearby farmers are also getting facilities. Farmers are now not only adopting modern farming, but are also significantly increasing their productivity and income.
