BANGALORE:
Farmers in north Karnataka, used to growing two crops in a year, are
now being encouraged to grow a third crop particularly in the summer
months.
This
type of cultivation called as summer cultivation is dependent on availability
of irrigation facilities. Typically most of the farming in Karnataka
(like elsewhere in India) is rainfed.
The
new project is a three-way collaboration between the University of
Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad, Shaswat Krishi Vigyan Kendra — a non
government organisation and the farmers in and around Nippani in north
Karnataka.
The
region in and around Nippani gets water from the Kalamwadi dam which
is located about 40 km from the town.
The
project is important in that this is the first time when the area
under the summer cultivation has increased to a record 60 acres involving
70 farmers.
Typically
some of the farmers who practise summer cultivation earmark only an
acre or two for this purpose.
"Summer
cultivation is possible. There has been hesitation to promote this
kind of cultivation as farmers were not sure of getting good price,"
says Hemant Kulkarni of the Shaswat Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
To
address the issue of price, the SKVK has tied-up with UAS, Dharwad
who in turn will procure the seeds from the farmers, thus guaranteeing
a price for the produce.
Under
the plan, farmers will help in undertaking multiplication of the popular
TAG-24 variety of groundnut. TAG-24 is incidentally an irradiated
variety of groundnut which has been provided by the Mumbai-based Bhabha
Atomic Research Centre.
To
ensure consistent yield levels, only the irradiated planting material
have also been provided, Mr Kulkarni added.
Summer
yield of groundnut has been around seven to eight quintals per acre,
which Mr Kulkarni said would be doubled this summer. Groundnut, he
added, was similar to soyabean in that these kind of crops also helped
in improving the soil fertility.
Average
groundnut yield in Karnataka stands at 1,047 kg per hectare as compared
to the national average of 924 kg per hectare.
Interestingly
enough, the method of planting, harvesting and cultivation draws heavily
on the ICRISAT method, which involves planting on raised beds. ICRISAT
— which stands for the International Centre for Research In Semi-Arid
Tropics is based in Hyderabad.
ARUN
IYER
TIMES
NEWS NETWORK
[ TUESDAY, MARCH
18, 2003 04:26:35 AM ]
