Reena Singh, who cultivates strawberries and capsicum in polyhouse, is an example of women empowerment 

Reena Singh, who is cultivating strawberries and capsicum in polyhouse, has made gardening a profitable business with modern technology.

If farmers choose crops wisely and use modern technology, they can earn a good income from farming, as Reena Singh, a woman farmer of Mehraula village in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, is doing. Reena Singh has been fond of gardening since childhood, so she transformed her childhood hobby into a successful business. Reena Singh, who once used to grow vegetables in pots at home, is today cultivating capsicum and strawberries in 2 polyhouses. She talked in detail about her journey with Kisan of India correspondent Sarvesh Bundeli.

The journey from pots to polyhouse 

Someone has rightly said that if there is a passion in the heart to achieve something, the path is found automatically. Reena Singh, a female farmer from Mehraula village in Unnao district, 30-35 km from Lucknow, had a love for plants since childhood and so earlier she used to fulfill her hobby by growing vegetables in pots at home, but at that time she herself might not have known that her hobby would make her a progressive farmer and a successful woman entrepreneur.

Today she is cultivating red, yellow and green capsicum in a polyhouse of one acre and is also growing strawberries in another polyhouse of one acre. Reena tells that first of all she cultivated gerbera flowers in the polyhouse, the result of which was very good. After that she grew strawberries. Then she cultivated capsicum, for which she is getting excellent results.

Key to success 

In this era of technology, its use is also necessary to be successful in farming and Reena did the same. Not only did she work hard, she also used modern technology like drip and sprinkler, so that the plants get water and nutrition in sufficient quantity. This helps them grow well and the crop is also more. She tells that there are 10 thousand plants planted in her polyhouse, in which fertilizer, manure etc. are all supplied through drip system. If any disease or insect attacks the plants, then pesticides are also applied through drip system.

When is Capsicum transplanted? 

First of all, plants are prepared from capsicum seeds by making a nursery and these plants are planted in the polyhouse in the month of August-September. After transplantation, fruits start coming in 50-60 days and in 90 days they get their full color and capsicum is ready for sale. Reena tells that there is a good demand for red and yellow capsicum in the market of Lucknow. So when they are plucked and taken to the market, they are sold immediately. Every second or third day she plucks capsicum and takes it to the market and it gets sold easily, there is no problem of marketing for her.

How was the polyhouse built? 

With the help of government schemes and the district’s horticulture department, Reena started her polyhouse. She says that first of all, a list has to be made by calculating the equipment required in the polyhouse, maintenance cost, and a record has to be kept of all the things to be installed or expenses incurred for the polyhouse.

Authorities from the horticulture department come to the site and they explain step by step how to write down all the expenses and attach it to the project file and give it to them. Once the file is given to them, they help in getting a loan from the bank and after getting the loan, subsidy is given by the government for the polyhouse.

An example of women empowerment 

Reena Singh herself has become self-reliant and is also working to economically empower 8-10 women along with herself. She says that she has employed 8-10 women who work from plucking capsicum to packaging, which has also improved their economic condition. Reena is also associated with the Nari Shaktikaran program.

Suitable variety of strawberry for Lucknow 

Along with capsicum, Reena is also growing strawberries in the polyhouse. She says that although both Sweet Charlie and Winter Dawn are good varieties of strawberries, Winter Dawn is more suitable for the weather and climate of Lucknow. She had planted this last year as well and planted the same variety again after getting a good crop. Reena says that for strawberry cultivation in polyhouse, first its saplings have to be prepared, which she prepares in the polyhouse itself and then they are planted from September 15. Strawberry fruits start coming 50 days after transplantation.

Advantages of polyhouse 

Along with capsicum and strawberries, cucumber, tomato etc. are also cultivated in polyhouse. Although the initial cost of farming in polyhouse is a little higher, it proves to be beneficial in the long run.

• The crop is not affected by the weather i.e. excessive heat, frost, excessive rain does not harm the crop. 
• The environment inside the polyhouse can be controlled which increases the yield. 
• Any crop can be grown in it throughout the year. 
• The risk of pests and diseases is less in the polyhouse, due to being closed from all sides, crops can be protected from diseases and pests. 
• High quality crop is obtained in this.

Things to keep in mind for cultivation of capsicum in polyhouse 

• Capsicum crop is grown in cold weather. Therefore, the temperature of the polyhouse should be kept between 25-30 degrees Celsius. 
• The pH value of the soil should be between 6.0 to 6.5. 
• In the polyhouse, capsicum plants are planted in two rows on the same bed, in which there should be a distance of 45 to 50 cm between the plants and 50 cm between the rows. 
• Capsicum is sown in February-March or April-May. 
• After the crop is ready, harvest it in 2-3 days.

Contact details: If farmers want to share information or experiences related to farming with us, then they can do this by calling us on the phone number 9599273766 or by writing an email to [email protected] or by sending your recording. Through Kisan of India, we will convey your message to the people, because we believe that if the farmers are advanced then the country is happy.