The growing market demand for organic products has encouraged progressive farmers of Darrang district in Assam to take up organic farming and reap profits from the produce.
One such dedicated farmer is Nabab Ali (48)of Singimari-Bodiyasisha village under Dumunichuki Agri Subdivision.
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Ali through sheer dedication and hard work have successfully achieved multiple winter rabi cropping by using organic manure including cow dung , vermi-compost etc and pesticides made of neem leaves.
Nabab, a former secretary of the Singimari Bodiyasisha Jutia Krishi Paam Cooperative Society has been doing organic farming successfully on 18 bighas of land without facing losses.
He has divided his land for growing mustard, capsicum, tomato and musk melon. Interestingly, following the good harvest of water melon and strawberry in last two previous seasons , Nabab for the first time has stepped forward to produce one new crop variety called ‘musk melon’ with very high nutritional value that tastes like a combination of water melon and cucumber.
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“Last time by investing around Rs 40,000 in a couple of bighas of land, I harvested around 11 quintals of strawberry which I sold in the market at the rate of Rs 300 per kilo and earned almost Rs three lakhs.” said a proud Nabab while talking to Northeast Now at his farm land on Friday.
“I have produced water melons during the period of May to October and had a good earning. However, last time damages were caused by unprecedented heavy rain fall. I made a mistake by not applying mulching technology for protection of the plants. This time till date I have already invested Rs two lakhs altogether for these four different crops. Harvesting of musk melon, capsicum and tomato have already started,” he added.
Regarding marketing of his products, he said, “I myself take care of my market and supply my farm products to several wholesale markets of Guwahati including Fancy Bazaar, Gorchuk etc. I also supply tomato to Imphal.”
However, he feels the need of better road connectivity to his farm and cold storage for proper preservation of his products. But he is against the opinion of becoming a beneficiary by availing benefits of the government schemes.
He strongly believes in availing only the technological support from the government agencies. “I don’t think one can become a successful farmer depending on the government supplied free seeds, fertilizers etc. But we must have training on the new technologies. We can be benefitted only when we can apply our brain with knowledge of technology,” he added.
Nabab Ali attributed his success to the support of local Agriculture Department and the Sipajhar unit of Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA).
Earlier on Thursday, Darrang Deputy Commissioner, Ashok Kr Barman along with Nila Kanta Deka, District Agriculture Officer, Sankar Nath, local official of ATMA and other officials from the local Agriculture Department visited the farm field of Nabab Ali.
Deputy Commissioner Barman who has been constantly in touch with the Agriculture officials to promote at least fifty progressive farmers for organic farming has assured all sorts of administrative and technological support to Nabab Ali and appealed the young farmers to follow the path of Nabab Ali and contribute to the economic growth of the district.
“Nabab Ali has been earning Rs 50,000 per month besides generating employment for locals and also saving the society from consuming chemically produced vegetables and crops. He is an inspiration for all the people in the society and youths should consider then as one of their role models,” Barman told Northeast Now.