Pandurang Patil of Goa increased his crop productivity by 50% using a simple technique of spraying bordo-mixture on arecanut crops from the ground rather than directly onto the crop. Following that, other farmers copied the strategy, which resulted in a successful harvest, making it a hit among the state's farmers.
Patil was honoured with the 'IARI Innovative Farmer Award 2022' at the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2022 in New Delhi for this and other innovative techniques, including his domestic cashewnut roaster and arecanut drying equipment.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant congratulated Patil on his national award and encouraged him to continue in the field of agricultural research and development. In a social media post, Sawant stated, "Your research will undoubtedly assist farmers and the agriculture industry in Goa and throughout the country."
Arecanut is one of the state's most widely planted crops. During the monsoon, traditional tree climbers are necessary to apply the fungicide on the bunch of arecanuts. However, there are two prerequisites: spraying must take place only on sunny days, and the fungicide must endure for at least three hours without being touched by rain.
"This will need skilled labour." However, with an increasing lack of such labour, producers may find it more convenient to spray the fungicide directly on the ground," Patil said.
"Roasting raw cashewnuts in the fire is always a problem owing to sparks and sputtering seed sap creating wounds on one's skin," Patil added of his other innovations. The domestic cashewnut roaster is a self-rotating device that guarantees that each side of the seed receives sufficient heat and correctly roasts the nut."
The arecanut drier dewaters the nuts and prevents moisture intrusion, preventing them from germinating. "As a consequence, producers don't have to rely on sunshine to dry the arecanut all of the time," he added.
