Eucalyptus Farming: Farmers can earn good money from clonal varieties of Safeda, know the farming technique

You must have often seen tall straight trees planted on the roadside, Safeda means Eucalyptus, which people generally consider useless, but if farmers cultivate Safeda (Eucalyptus Farming) in the right way, then they can earn good money from it. Safeda tree is usually seen on the roadside or on the boundary of the field. Its tree is absolutely straight, due to which much space is not required for its cultivation or we can say that more trees can be planted in less space.

Safeda is cultivated for wood. Its wood is used to make boxes for loading large goods as well as fuel, furniture, hardboard and particle board. There is always a demand for it. Therefore, if farmers grow the Safeda plant, they can earn a good income. To promote the cultivation of Safeda, Nainital-based company Century Pulp and Paper has prepared many clone varieties of it. Amit Saini talked to Kisan of India correspondent Sarvesh Bundeli about Safeda cultivation and its clone varieties.

Advanced varieties of Safeda prepared using clonal technology 

Nainital-based company Century Pulp and Paper is preparing clone varieties of eucalyptus, so that farmers get more production. Not only this, it also contracts to buy trees from farmers, so that they do not have to worry about selling the wood after cutting the trees.

About the clone varieties of Eucalyptus i.e. Safeda, Amit Saini tells that his company has prepared three clone varieties of Safeda, of which K-25 is the best. It is disease free and the wood does not crack while cutting. BCM-7 variety is also good and it also does not crack.

How to plant Safeda? 

Amit Saini tells that if there are sufficient means of providing water in an area, then farmers can cultivate Safeda throughout the year. If there are not enough means of water, then he advises farmers to plant it in the rainy season so that the plants get water naturally. On the other hand, if a farmer is planting it as a boundary in the field, he should put a double boundary instead of a single one, because by doing this the space is the same, but the production will be double, meaning farmers get double benefit.

If someone wants to plant it in the entire field, then plant it at one and a half by three meters. By planting in this way, 888 plants can be planted in one acre. Safeda tree becomes ready for cutting in 5-6 years. K 25 and BCM-7 varieties give very good yield. A tree planted on the boundary yields about 3-3.5 quintals.

About the size of the pits for planting clonal plants, Amit Saini says that at the time of planting, the pit should be 1 feet deep and 1 feet wide. If there is an infestation of termites in the field, then irrigate by adding one percent solution. If available, put rotten cow dung manure in the pits and if not, then put manure only after 6 months, because clonal plants grow without manure in the first 6-7 months. There is no need to put more manure in it. At the time of planting, half the plant should be buried in the ground, this reduces the chances of plants falling in storms.

Fertilizer in clone varieties of Safeda 

Clone varieties of Safeda do not require much fertilizer. Amit Saini says that fertilizer should be applied only after 6 months of planting the plants. Whatever nutrients farmers give to their other crops, put the same in it as well. Try to use indigenous fertilizer more. This will keep the quality of the soil good and the crop yield will also be good. Try to use less chemical fertilizers and more green manure, this will give more yield at less cost.

Condition of waterlogging in Safeda cultivation 

Amit Saini says that waterlogging and water flow are two different things. If water stagnates at a place, that is, it stays stagnant for about 3 months, then it is advisable not to plant a plant there. Still, if someone wants to plant a plant, then he should first fill the soil at the place of the plant so that the plant comes above the water, then plant the plant.

If water stagnates at a place for only 10-15 days, then the plants should be planted there in the month of October. By this, the plant becomes 6-7 feet tall by the time of rains, then the chances of its death are reduced provided the water does not stagnate for a long time. Suppose if water fills up to 2 feet at some place and 1 feet at some other place, then fill the soil up to that level. On the other hand, if water accumulates somewhere but also flows out, that is, if the water is flowing, then there is no problem. 

Buy Safeda wood from farmers 

Amit Saini says that the farmer who cultivates Safeda by joining his company does not have to worry about selling the wood after the tree is ready. His company buys the trees from the farmers. He says that there is a scheme for this in which farmers have to fill the declaration form.

If a farmer is planting Safeda saplings and is going to plant more in future, then an agreement is signed with them that the wood suitable for the company while cutting the trees, it will buy it from the farmers at a price higher than the market price. This gives certainty to the farmers and they do not worry much about the sale. Amit Saini says that his company has bought about 2 lakh trees so far.

Cultivation of Safeda prevents barren land 

There is a common belief that land becomes barren due to cultivation of Safeda. Regarding this, Amit Saini says that this is just a myth, there is no truth in it, Safeda trees are planted along with the crop at his place.