SRIKAKULAM: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with farmers of Chepenapeta unit in Srikakulam district to procure 186 tonnes organic jaggery in 2022-23. The deal was finalised through AP Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) and Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF).
The TTD has signed deals with farmers from across the State to procure 12 commodities such as paddy, turmeric, jaggery, coriander and pulses to make several prasadams. Besides jaggery, the temple Trust is set to procure paddy and black gram from Chepenapeta and Nimmathorluvada units.In a bid to promote natural farming, the temple Trust has been procuring organic products for the preparation of Anna Prasadam.
With the support of AP Rythu Sadhikara Samstha and APCNF, several farmers in Srikakulam district have switched to organic farming since 2016 under the Union government’s Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) initiative. Natural farming is not only lucrative, but it also helps maintain soil health.As many as 82 farmers of the two units have been cultivating sugarcane without using pesticides and fertilizers in 86 acres to supply jaggery to TTD.
Over the past two years, at least 34,841 farmers have been cultivating paddy, sugarcane, black gram and millets in 31,096 acres using natural farming methods. Farmers of Chepenapeta unit, comprising five villages of Amadalavalasa village, including Chepenapeta, Nimmathorluvada, GK Valasa, Kottavalasa and Thogaram, have been cultivating organically cultivated crops and selling them with the help of Markfed in the district.
A natural farmer of Chepenapeta unit, Chepena Suresh said, “I have been cultivating paddy in one acre and sugarcane in 0.5 acres since 2016. I sell the produce with the help of district agriculture officials and rake in good profits as compared to traditional farming. Rs 60,000 is spent on cultivating sugarcane and another 20,000 for making jaggery. We make a profit of at least 1.2 lakh after we sell the produce forRs 2 lakh.”
The TTD has also promised the farmers of 15% extra remuneration on market price for their produce. As a result, the ryots can make profits of up to Rs 1.5 lakh. “We are also proud to supply our produce to TTD for preparation of prasadams,” Suresh said.
Natural Farming district project manager P Revathi said, “We are continuously monitoring the process of cultivation of crops using organic methods. TTD will procure the produce only after thorough inspection. With the TTD paying 15% more than market price to the farmers, it will help us to motivate them to switch to natural farming.”