To protect his crop from pests at a reasonable cost, a farmer from Telangana has been earning a good living using liquid detergent-based farming. Kunarapu Ramesh is a native of the Telangana village of Rayadandi in the Anthargam Mandal. He has been farming on his 0.75-acre property for the past 25 years.
He initially tried to grow paddy crops on his land, but the results were poor. He was compelled to grow alternative crops as a result. Then he learned about the detergent-based agricultural practices used by producers in other states and was motivated to apply them. Ramesh planted vegetable seeds, including tomato, bottle, ridge, bitter, and brinjal varieties.
Ramesh sprayed it in a 0.25-acre area with a solution of vinegar (40 ml), liquid detergent (40 ml), and baking soda (40 ml) mixed with 16-litre water. On a 0.75-acre plot of land, he three times sprayed solution.
"I'll apply the mixture twice in a month. The initial crop typically takes 45 days to mature. After 45 days I am going to receive the crop alternative days. Every other day, I consume roughly 1.5 quintals of vegetables. In comparison to regular pesticide users, I receive better yields, Ramesh stated.
He added that despite just having 0.75 acres of land, he makes roughly Rs 45,000 every month.
Furthermore, he claimed that detergent-based mixtures can be utilised to manage pests and do so more effectively than conventional pesticides. "The mixture is not unhealthy either. The majority of the time, individuals wash their vegetables before cooking. According to Agriculture Extension Officer Harish, the mixture is particularly effective against diseases caused by insects.
For other farmers in adjacent areas who want to employ detergent-based solutions for pest control, Ramesh has become an inspiration.
