Of changes cropping up

Little did Srinivas Jalihal, a government employee, know that the 10 acres of barren land that he purchased near Kustagi in Koppal district would turn into gold within seven years. The 64-year-old had bought this land as a retirement investment.

Today, after applying for voluntary retirement, Srinivas has turned into a full-time Koppal Kesar mango grower, even earning more than his annual income from his government job. 

“I chanced upon this barren land, filled with boulders and weeds. It had been left uncultivated for decades. I bought it at a very low price,” he says. Srinivas wanted to take up farming, but had little knowledge of how to use the land. “Many neighbouring farmers were shifting to horticulture crops, and I too tried my luck,” he adds. 

Initially, he tried planting 900 mango saplings on his four acres of land. Encouraged by the results and revenue, he increased it to 2,000 plants, spanning his entire land. On average, he earns about Rs 18 lakh to Rs 21 lakh annually. 

Srinivas is not the only one in Koppal who has turned to horticulture and reaped good yields from the saline land. In 2020, only 22,000 ha of cultivable land was under horticulture in Koppal, out of the total 4.5 lakh ha.

Today, farmers are cultivating mango, pomegranate, watermelon, papaya, guava, banana, jamun, custard apple, fig, jackfruit and more on about 55,000 ha of land. Traders have been exporting Koppal brand fruits to the Middle East, the US, the UK and other European countries.  

The consistent dry weather, red soil and technological innovation, along with access to fair markets being provided by the horticulture department, have meant that more and more farmers are slowly shifting towards these crops.

Other crop choices

Koppal Kesar is one of the most sought-after varieties of mango in the market, followed by benishan, mallika and others.  

Ramanna Tambralli, a farmer from Erakallugudda, says cultivation of Koppal Kesar has transformed his life. “From being a debt-ridden farmer, I am now a profit-making organic mango grower. Traders from Mumbai, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and other parts of the country visit our farms in January to bid for the yield. I make a profit of Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh,” he says. 

The geographical location of Koppal makes it an ideal place for the cultivation of horticulture crops. However, what transformed the region into an exporting hub is the scientific approach which farmers were introduced to. The farmers credit horticulture department joint director, Krishna Ukkund, who has helped them scientifically experiment with crops and has provided technological assistance and marketing, for the turnaround. The department has come up with an online trading mechanism, along with WhatsApp groups, that have information about each farmer’s produce.

A support system

“The horticulture department has been organising a market mela in Koppal, where buyers and sellers meet to exchange ideas and market requirements once in two months,” says Dyamanna Gundagi, a farmer from Kustagi. He has turned his saline land into “pink gold”,  referring to the Malaysian variety of guava he grows in his 11 acres of land. He says experts from different parts of the state and country have been visiting their farms to help them improve their yield.

Along with using the latest methods like drip irrigation and intensive cropping, the majority of horticulture farmers in Koppal have taken to organic farming, which has resulted in lower investment and higher returns. 

“Farmers of Koppal have started realising that their red soil farms and limited groundwater are ideal for horticulture crops. A majority of them have stopped using chemicals even for the ripening of fruits. This has helped in the creation of a Koppal brand of fruits,” says organic farmer Anandatheertha Pyati. 

Government schemes and subsidies have also helped farmers flourish in Koppal. 

Krishna says Koppal has not achieved its full potential in cultivating horticulture crops yet. 

“Our department has been making farmers aware of various schemes and benefits. Our officials are also making them aware of the latest technology, intensive cropping and how to maximise income with minimum investment,” he says.

The department also guides farmers on leasing, online marketing and different fruit crops that they can grow depending upon the soil quality and water availability, he adds.