How can spice farming make farmers rich, where to get training? Know from agricultural scientist Dr. Meena
Spice farming make farmers rich: You will feel very good to know that India alone supplies 60 percent of the spices in the whole world. This means that most of the countries of the world prepare their food with the spices grown here. Every year in India, spices are cultivated in about 12.50 lakh hectares of area, which produces about 10.5 lakh tonnes of spices.
Seeing the profit that farmers get from the production of spices, the government is also promoting the cultivation of spices and subsidies are also being given to farmers in many states. Spices are cultivated mostly in South India and the spices from there are exported abroad on a large scale.
Most of the farmers of North India shy away from cultivating spices because they feel that it will cost more and what will happen if the crop gets spoiled. Agricultural scientist Dr. Babulal Meena advises such farmers to start cultivating spices after taking training. Dr. Babulal Meena is the Deputy Director of Supari Masala Development Directorate, its office is in Calicut, Kerala. This is a directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Dr. Babulal Meena has shared very important information related to spice cultivation with Kisan of India correspondent Sarvesh Bundeli.
Encouraging farmers for spice cultivation
Agricultural scientist Dr. Babulal Meena says that to promote farmers for spice cultivation, Supari Masala Development Directorate comes to the trade fair every year and plants of different spices are kept here. Every year some farmers get inspired and take some plant from here and plant it and then tell which plant they planted and what was its result.
Dr. Meena told that most of the spices are cultivated in Kerala, but it is not possible for the farmers of North India to bring plants from there, so now spice plants are being kept in Pusa too, from where farmers and common people are also buying spice plants.
Allspice, a plant with the fragrance of Garam Masala
Allspice is a very special plant from which the fragrance of many spices comes together, especially cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. This plant usually starts flowering in May and fruits appear by August. Many fruits are produced in bunches. Its grains are small and round. The color of the raw fruit is green and it becomes black when ripe.
Usually its fruit is plucked raw. Then it is dried in the sun and made brown. Its leaves are also used in cooking. Raw leaves can be dried in the sun and used like bay leaves.
Dr. Babulal Meena says that this plant, which usually grows in South India, has been planted by many people in Delhi and the results have been good. It bears fruits in Delhi and Kerala, but it does not bear fruits everywhere. In such a situation, its leaves are enough. When it is added while cooking, it gives the fragrance of garam masala.
Plant this bush pepper in the kitchen garden
Dr. Babulal Meena says that people can plant a bush pepper plant in the kitchen garden. And their need for pepper for the whole year will be fulfilled with just one plant. The specialty of bush pepper is that it can be easily grown in a pot and once the crop starts coming, the crop comes easily throughout the year.
How is betel nut cultivation profitable?
Betel nut is cultivated mostly in Karnataka. Apart from this, betel nut is also grown on a large scale in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andaman, West Bengal, Assam. Dr. Meena says that betel nut is usually used as a mouth freshener, and plates, cups, etc. are made from its leaves and it is exported on a large scale. It is a very big business.
Not only this, the natural colors coming out of the betel nut tree work as natural dyes. Clothes can be dyed brown, dark brown and black with this. Due to these uses of betel nut, Dr. Meena believes that farmers benefit a lot from its cultivation.
Spices of North India
While most of the cultivation of garam masalas is done in South India, spices like garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric are grown on a large scale in North India. Dr. Meena says that there is a general belief that more expensive spices are found in the South, but this is not so. The price of North Indian spice cumin is also up to one thousand rupees. It depends on the rate of the spice in the market and how your international market is.
Trade fair to help farmers in every way
Dr Meena says that his department comes to the trade fair every year with the aim of promoting farmers, and he appeals to the farmers to come here, see their stall and the department will solve any dilemma or problem they have related to spice cultivation.
Information about spice cultivation through training and seminars
Dr. Meena told that farmers are helped in every way. A scheme is run under the Integrated Horticulture Department of the Agriculture Department in which along with giving good plant material to help farmers in production, important information is given through training and seminars so that they can produce more. Not only this, they are also given information about new technology.
Where to get training for cultivation of spices?
Dr. Meena tells that his department has a proper link with every agricultural university. A principal investigator is appointed there. If a farmer wants to cultivate spices and needs any information related to it, then he can meet them and get information, they will also help the farmers in training.
When to sow spices?
Although the time of sowing spices is slightly different, but Dr. Meena says that generally the rainy season is the best for cultivation of spices. When the rains start, spices like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, cardamom are sown in June-July. The timing of maturity of every crop is different. Black pepper starts flowering from July and is harvested and dried from December to March. Ginger and turmeric are also harvested and dried by March.
Subsidy on cultivation of spices
To encourage farmers of different states of the country to cultivate spices, subsidy is also being given to them by the Horticulture Department. For this, farmers can contact their nearest Agriculture Directorate or Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
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