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Dr. Pankaj Kumar Sinha, senior scientist of ICAR Center at Goriyakarma, Hazaribagh, has suggested a commercial farming model for farmers, which can make farming a profitable path according to different time periods.
Even today, farming is the main basis of livelihood of the farmers of Jharkhand. But due to lack of proper planning and scientific approach, many times farmers face financial losses. Changing weather, uncertain markets and wrong crop selection often make farming a loss-making deal. In such a time, if farmers adopt farming in a planned manner, then farming can be converted into a profitable business. In this context, Dr. Pankaj Kumar Sinha, senior scientist of the ICAR Center at Goriyakarma, Hazaribagh, has suggested a commercial farming model for the farmers, which can make farming a profitable path according to different time periods.
Dr. Pankaj Kumar Sinha told Local 18 that the biggest loss for farmers is when they start farming without a plan and route map. Many farmers work hard, but due to lack of long-term planning in a scientific manner, they are not able to get benefits. Keeping this problem in mind. He has suggested different farming models considering the time period ranging from 2 hours to 20 years, so that farmers can plan based on their land, labor and economic capacity.
Farmers should cultivate Mahua
He further said that cultivated land in Jharkhand always remains a challenge for the farmers. Farmers can plant Mahua trees in such land under a 20-year plan. With intensive gardening techniques, 60 to 80 Mahua plants can be planted in one acre. According to the current market price, farmers can earn five to ten thousand rupees per plant by selling Mahua flowers and seeds from one tree. After 20 years, these plants can give an annual income of Rs 4 to 8 lakh.
Farmers can earn lakhs of rupees from bamboo cultivation
Farmers who want to make a ten year plan. They can plant a mango orchard. By adding indigenous breed of poultry to this, two sources of income are created. Dr. Mango gardening and indigenous poultry farming together can provide income worth lakhs of rupees to the farmers. In the low-labor and low-cost model, he said that bamboo cultivation requires little care for the first two years, but after that it gives consistent profits every year. Farmers can earn lakhs of rupees by cultivating bamboo in one acre.
Farmers can cultivate horticulture crops
Farmers who want profit in 3 years can cultivate horticulture crops like guava, cunt and pineapple. However, the initial expenditure is higher due to purchase of plants. But once the investment is made, it is possible to earn Rs 2 to 3 lakh per acre within three years. Dragon fruit cultivation is also better for farmers who want a low-cost option. Its sapling is prepared from the plant and starts giving fruits in two years. An income of five to six lakh rupees can be obtained from one acre.
Can earn lakhs from mushroom production
Dr. Pankaj Sinha further said that farmers who do not want to work hard can produce mushrooms in 600 square feet of space indoors. It has a cycle of 60 days, in which good profits are obtained. He described food processing as an excellent option for farmers who want even faster income. He said that if farmers, instead of selling tomatoes, make sauce from them and sell chilli pickle or mango jam, they can earn good money in two weeks. Apart from this, by adopting the model of going from village to village, collecting farmers’ produce and selling it in the market or apartment, a person can earn around Rs 1000 per day and around Rs 30,000 per month.
