“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
Let’s hear another incredible farmer story.
Ashok Kumar from Jaipur, Rajasthan was interviewed by Vivek Rai on FTB. His brand is suchcha organics. He gave information about his brand.
He is growing fruits and veggies in his farms which are pure organic. He has been farming for last 7 years. He grows 30-35 types of veggies like potatoes, ginger, coriander, chilli, bottle gourd, tomatoes, bitter gourd, mint, cucumber, pumpkin, ridged gourd among others. They are growing these organic items over 150 beegha of land.
Their farm is at 30 km distance from Jaipur main city and they even provide home delivery services. When asked how does he prove that the fruits and veggies he is selling are Organic, he said there is only one way to find out through its taste or through testing. That is, they will have to take his word on this.
He has to invest 40-50k per hectare and this doesn't include dripping (or drip irrigation). He adds 30-35 quintal of manure per beegha of land to improve the quality of the soil. This manure, he says, comes from both cow and buffalo dung. These cattle are his own and about 40 in numbers.
When asked why Organic farming? He said he was studying BSc Nursing and in the third year decided to leave his education to take up farming, it is something his entire family does. He has not participated in paramparagat krishi vikas yojana announced by the central government. For irrigation they have set up drip irrigation system which is subsidized by the government, which he explained that there is 50% subsidy for large landowners and 75% for small farmers. He grows marian vegetable over 40 acres of his farmland which he grows in huge volumes. He makes profit of 2 lacs per hectare.
He also grows papaya of the "taiwan red lady 786" variety, been growing since last 7 years. He even grows saplings for these which he sells to anyone who needs them. He said he plants 2000 trees of papaya over one hectare of land. He starts planting after 15 February, and these can be planted in March and April and give fruits by November. Each tree gives fruits of 40-50 kg weight. His said main problem with papaya farming is funguses. He said they even make their own insecticide with cow urine, milk and turmeric.