High yield, the organic way

Close to nature

At a time when farmers are staging protests against hike in pesticides rate, Suryanarayanappa, a farmer in Shidlaghatta has successfully grown potatoes in large quantity using organic compost.

Suryanarayanappa of the taluk has grown 650 to 700 bags of potatoes in his two acre land. He has created a organic compost, where he puts wastage from the vegetables, cow dung etc and uses it through drip irrigation. The potatoes are found to be of standard quality.

He was growing potatoes since many years, but last year undertook experiment of growing it with organic compost. Thus, with a good yield, he has also saved on 50 per cent of money he used to spend for medicines and pesticides. Organic compost has improved the quality of the potatoes as well as yield is high.

Organic compost

“Last year on the advice of Organic Agriculture Mission, a 26 feet long, 13 feet wide and  8 feet deep, compost pit was created. I spent Rs 85,000 on it. Agriculture Department provided Rs 30,000 incentive,” said, Suryanarayana, speaking to Deccan Herald.

“Except for cactus and water after washing cloths, every wastage goes into the pit. Once in 15 days the liquid formed in the pit is mixed with the water and dripped to the farm,” he added.

“I have saved more than 50 per cent of pesticide money, one third of the yield has increased, number of daily wage workers to tend the farm has also come down. Totally, after deducting expenditure, I have made Rs 2 lakh profit,” he says.

“Building a organic compost also makes the land fertile. One can grow crops or vegetables even with little water. As the Organic Agriculture Department provides incentives, farmers should come forward to implement this system,”said B Ramanjinappa, Convener of the Organic Agriculture Parivar Trust.