Yogesh Shinde, a progressive farmer from the Bharuch district of Gujarat, is reaping the benefits from the 120-day green gram cultivation and 150-day red gram cultivation on his 40 acres of land and earns a good income.
Cultivates Moong, Red Gram, Cotton and Sugarcane
Yogesh Shinde has been growing moong and red gram for the past six years in order to generate good income. Moreover, this has improved the health of the soil in his fields. Speaking with Krishi Jagran he said that “Gujarat is a region well suited for growing both green as well as red grams. These crops are grown in black soil and with good care & management provide huge profits.”
He further added, “Cotton and sugarcane are majorly grown in Gujarat. I cultivate these crops on the land I have borrowed from my friend. But, due to lack of water, it is hard to grow cotton and sugarcane so I highly rely on moong and arhar crops.” Growing these additional crops helps him earn extra money.
Yogesh's efforts and time are not worth the lower income he earns from cultivating cotton and sugarcane. He searched for something unique, more profitable, and low-risk, and eventually began cultivating red and green grams on his land.
Farming, A Profitable Venture
“From farming alone, I earn more than Rs 20 lakh per season,” says Yogesh, who adds that switching to farming was the best decision of his life.
He told Krishi Jagran that “Farming is a very profitable business. Those who have farmland but are facing financial problems should apply for a farmer’s loan and then work hard to become successful. It’s just a matter of time and effort.” Also, you can take advice from private as well as government consultancies.
A Helping Hand
Piyush Upadhyay of Maruti Agro Biotech has been providing Yogesh expert advice for the last 3 years. Speaking on this Yogesh said, “Consulting an expert was yet another good decision that I took three years back. With his help, I am able to get higher yield which has eventually decreased my input cost on fertilizers and pesticides as well as gain well from selling these crops.”
He further added, “Farmers must be careful while buying compost fertilizer.” He suggests that instead of believing pesticides and fertilizer sellers, farmers should rather consult an expert before making such purchases.”
Tips on Moong and Toor Cultivation for High Yield
Yogesh shares that his land yields approximately 6 quintals from one acre of Moong field and 7-8 quintals from one acre of Toor field.
He adds, “Moong or pigeon peas, during their early growth period, are less competitive with weeds which cause upto 90% reductions in seed yield. It is advisable to keep the field weed-free”
The farmer also said that he promotes organic farming. When asked about how much fertilizer he uses he said, “I only use bio-fertilizers and seed treatment is also very important as it helps in protecting seeds and seedlings from diseases and insect pests affecting the growth of the crop.”
“Early sowings are always preferable. Sowing timing depends on the length of the variety and the region's rainfall pattern. It is important to sow in a method that avoids flowering and pod formation during the rainy periods of the year,” he suggested.
The story has been originally covered by the author.
