SANGAREDDY : While dates are much in demand as the holy month of Ramzan is underway, the date palm crop helped a Medak-based farmer turn his fortunes around.
In 2019, Anne Satyanarayana, disillusioned with mainstream agricultural practices, started planting mulberry and sandalwood on his agricultural land in Ramayampet of Medak district. However, when he didn’t make much profit, he lost all hope. However, one day, he came across a vendor selling dates. However, much like dates signify an oasis in the middle of a desert, this fruit of the Arecaceae family came as a blessing for Satyanarayana as his farm had turned into an arid patch of land.
While he quickly learned that growing dates needed a substantial investment, the farmer also understood that he would not be required to put in money, apart from what is required for daily maintenance, for the next 80 years.
Speaking to TNIE, Satyanarayana recollects that he spoke to a date palm farmer in Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh and decided to import 270 saplings from London and plant them on a small part of his farm. While 50 plants withered, he still got a good harvest. Additionally, instead of using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, he used natural ones made using cow dung and neem seeds.
Locals say the dates from his farms are superior to those from Gujarat. There is extra sweetness in the fruit as he uses organic additives, they add.
Demand for govt support
Meanwhile, Satyanarayana has also started cultivating figs, mangoes, oranges, white gooseberry (amla), pomegranates, green apples, yellow watermelons and bananas, among many others. Apart from selling and using the fruits for his family, he also sends them to locals, he adds.
The yield of dates has improved over time and in 2023, he imported 750 saplings from Iran and planted it on 13 acres of land. However, he says each sapling costs him around Rs 7,000 and points out that the Gujarat government gives a 50% subsidy to ryots growing dates.
“If the government implements such an initiative in Telangana, many more farmers will come forward,” Satyanarayana says.
He underscores the fact that one can easily earn around Rs 10 lakh per acre in a year by growing date palm. While listing the varieties of dates he grows — Medjool, Barhi and Elite — he says he gets orders from the UK and the US. Foreign industries prefer dates in the fruit stage, Satyanarayana explains, adding that date palm plants typically begin bearing fruit after one year and give yield after five years. He emphasises the robust market for date fruits, noting that there’s little need for extensive marketing efforts as foreign companies are eager buyers. However, due to the high initial costs of date palm cultivation, he urges the government to provide support.
Comparing it to traditional crops like paddy, maize and cotton, which are vulnerable to losses from droughts and natural disasters, Satyanarayana highlights the long-term financial stability offered by investing in date palm cultivation, which eliminates the need for reinvestment for 80 years.