Farmer couple thrives with vegetable cultivation

A farmer couple in Manipura of Gunavanthe village of Harandooru Gram Panchayat has scripted a success story in cultivating vegetables.

Francis D’Souza has been cultivating a variety of vegetables on his half-acre land. He grows brinjal, ivy gourd, beans, radish, a variety of spinach, long yard beans, ladies finger and other vegetables. Last year, he cultivated bitter gourd, snake gourd, and sweet potatoes.

The cultivation is based on the weather and soil condition. Water from a well is used to irrigate the farmland. Francis's wife Jyothi supports him in the cultivation of vegetables.

Francis said that he has harvested three and a half quintals of tender cucumber, one and a half quintals of long yard beans and one quintal of ladies finger from March to May last year.

“I cultivate radish, kohlrabi, and brinjal in winter. In summer, it is better to cultivate chilli, ladies finger, long yard beans, and cucumber. The cultivation of vegetables in these seasons helps in checking pests on the plants and getting a good yield,” said D’Souza.

Compared to other crops, it is better to cultivate vegetables, said D’Souza, adding, “I sell directly to the market. Compared to the green ladies finger, it is healthier to cultivate the white velvet ladies finger, which fetches Rs 60 a kg in the market as against the Rs 40 a kg price for the former.”

Further, D’Souza said, “Paddy can be cultivated during monsoon and vegetable during the north-east monsoon. Bitter gourd, chilli, and Malabar spinach should be cultivated in areas where monkey menace is high. To check birds from destroying crops, it is better to tie a cassette tape around the tree.”

The farmer stressed, “All the plants should be nurtured like babies.”