Farmers switch from paddy to pulses for better returns

Farmer Samuel Soren (55) of Kadelpal village in Jamankira block of the district is gradually shifting from paddy to non-paddy crops by cultivating pulses.
Farmers switch from paddy to pulses for better returns

SAMBALPUR: Farmer Samuel Soren (55) of Kadelpal village in Jamankira block of the district is gradually shifting from paddy to non-paddy crops by cultivating pulses. He started four years back by cultivating pulses over 30 decimal of land and encouraged with the returns, Soren extended it to about one acre during last kharif season.

Owner of eight acres of land, Samuel looks forward to cultivate pulses on four acres of land during the ensuing karif season. Since majority of his land holdings is high land and the paddy yield is far less than expectation, he decided to switch over to pulses.

Like Samuel, 15 other farmers of the village are cultivating pulses after gradually diverting from paddy.  The success story of Samuel and other farmers has led the Agriculture department to chalk out plan to increase pulses production by additional 5,022 tonnes during the ensuing kharif season. Pulses, including arhar, mung, biri, kulthi and other varieties will be cultivated on 35,800 hectares of land with a production target of 21,140 tonnes. The target last season for pulses was 16,118 tonnes.

The department also plans to increase the yield during 2017 kharif season at 5.91 quintal per hectare compared to 4.49 quintal per hectare during last kharif season. The department has drawn up a plan to promote diversion from paddy to non-paddy crops through cultivation of pulses in Dhankauda block of the district.

The mixed cropping of ‘arhar’ and groundnut will be promoted in Naktideul block while pulses cultivation will be increased in Bamra block. This apart, bund plantation of ‘arhar’ will be promoted in the blocks of Maneswar, Rairakhol, Naktideul, Kuchinda and Jamankira.

Deputy Director of Agriculture, Sambalpur, Pradosh Kumar Samal said the Government has issued instructions to promote pulses in rice fallow and it is being promoted at ground level. Cultivation of pulses requires less water compared to paddy, he said.

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