VIJAYAWADA: The state government, which is encouraging farmers to switch over to horticulture crops instead of going for traditional ones, has decided to focus on increasing the resilience of the horticulture crops to adverse climatic conditions. In this regard, it will launch a technological intervention programme which is aimed at reducing stress on the crops during long dry spells.
The horticulture officials told TNIE that the intervention programme will focus on enhancing the water retention capacity of the soil, decreasing the nutrient leaching and conditioning the soil. They said that in normal conditions, there will be a loss of water and soil nutrients over a period of time. This would be curtailed with the intervention.
“A Mumbai-based firm, UPL Ltd, has proposed a product which would act act a super-absorbent and provide moisture continuously to the crops. Now, with steady supply of water, there will be a healthy growth and protection of the crops. In the past few years we have experienced long, dry spells,” observed a senior horticulture official.
The official explained that the product — Zeba — consists of granules that are made out of corn starch. “The granules are placed under a layer of soil. When watering is done, the granules act as a sponge and absorb water 400 times their original weight by forming hydrogels. The water will be released periodically whenever there is stress, thus providing moisture for longer duration,” the official explained.
For the implementation of the project, the commissioner of horticulture, Chiranjiv Choudhary, sought the permission of the government, which has given a green signal last week. “The target is to use the product in 50,000 acres. We have completed a survey recently and identified the areas where we can roll out the project. Since Kharif has begun, it will help in protecting crop if there are long dry spells,” added an official of the horticulture department.
The officials have also planned to create awareness among the farmers to use the technology during cultivation.
Fact file
The product is capable of activity for one agriculture season (4-5 months)
The release of water takes place in a period of 12-15 days
The entire project cost is estimated to be Rs 15.25 crore, out of which the state government would bear Rs 5.5 crore.
Farmers will have to pay a nominal amount to use the product.