Cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric: Muhammad Busthani quit his job and started Pratibha Turmeric cultivation

Cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric: Muhammad Busthani, a resident of Koduvally in Kozhikode district of Kerala, who was earlier doing a private job in New Delhi, thought of starting a new business. After returning to his home, he kept thinking whether to step into the agricultural sector or not. He had a question in his mind whether he would be able to succeed in agriculture after leaving his job? But this question was quickly resolved and the decision he took proved to be a life-changing one.

Decided to take up Agriculture

Muhammad Busthani met Dr. S. Hamza, Technical Officer of Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, who was his old acquaintance. Dr. Hamza advised him to try his hand at agriculture and Busthani decided to join the agriculture sector. In February 2011, he along with his five friends attended a three-day seminar organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) which focused on agricultural innovation and technical sessions.

Pratibha thought of cultivating turmeric

After listening to various sessions in the seminar and knowing the success stories of farmer participants, Mr. Busthani and his friends decided to cultivate turmeric. They chose a crop that is less affected by pests and diseases. Along with this, they also thought that they could achieve a new milestone by commercial production of turmeric. And thus, Cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric was chosen as their new venture.

Launched Bucca Farms

Muhammad Busthani and his friends started Bucca Farms. Initially, he bought one ton of seed rhizomes from Abdul Nabeel. Subsequently, he formed a trust and leased one acre of land in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad. In January 2012, about 17 tons of fresh turmeric was harvested from his first crop. This success inspired him and his friends to expand their cultivation and promote the cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric further.

Spice made from Turmeric

Muhammad Busthani and his family dried 100 kg of “Pratibha Turmeric” and made powder. His family members, especially his wife, tasted this turmeric powder and appreciated its quality. What was even more encouraging was that when an informal survey was conducted from the neighboring women, everyone considered this turmeric powder to be of high quality. This made him believe that the cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric could be expanded commercially.

Expansion and growing Success

In the same year, Busthani and his friends leased 18 acres of land near Pazhayangadi in Wayanad district and the entire land was cultivated for Pratibha Turmeric. Now Bukka Farms has become the largest farm in Kerala, which grows only one variety of turmeric. This success gave them a new direction, and Pratibha Turmeric Cultivation made its mark in the local markets.

Scientific approach and targeted production

Muhammad Busthani and his colleagues adopted the production package developed by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR). Dr. V. Srinivasan, Dr. R. Dinesh and Dr. S. Hamza gave specific fertilizer recommendations, which kept the production stable and in high quality. Their target yield was 320 tonnes, and the healthy and uniform growth of the crop ensured that they got the desired results.

Turmeric variety Pratibha

The “Pratibha Turmeric” cultivar has a maturity time of 225 days and gives an average yield of 39.12 tonnes per hectare. Turmeric has a dry recovery of 18.9% and contains high levels of curcumin (6.25%). This turmeric variety is considered ideal for industrial, medicinal and food use. Developed by Dr. B. Sasikumar, this turmeric variety is especially good for use in industrial products. Cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric has given it a new identity among the major spice products.

Innovation and Technological Solutions

Muhammad Busthani used machines to deal with the shortage of labor in the cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric. The bed maker machine saved the work of 300 workers and created equal beds for turmeric plants on the ground. Apart from this, work is also going on on tractor-based equipment for harvesting in the upcoming season, which will reduce the production cost.

His future plans are to make “Pratibha Haldi” a brand 

Muhammad Busthani believes that the turmeric powder produced from the cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric should be introduced in the market as a special branded product. He plans to develop “Pratibha Turmeric” as a brand considering its superior taste and quality, which would be ideal for both domestic and industrial users.

Additional Achievements

In 2011, Muhammad Busthani also achieved success in scientific cultivation of ginger (Varad) under the NAIP project. The performance of ginger crop at Puthankunnu, Sultan Bathery, Wayanad was exceptional and this increased his confidence in turmeric cultivation as well.

Conclusion

The story of Muhammad Busthani shows that if work is done in the right direction in the agriculture sector, then heights of success can be touched. His Cultivation of Pratibha Turmeric proved that innovation, dedication and proper planning can yield great profits in the agriculture business. His journey is a source of inspiration for young entrepreneurs and farmers.