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Strawberry Farming In Western Odisha: A highly remunerative crop for small and Marginal Farmers.

Abhilash Padhan
PhD Research Scholar
Fruit Science
Odisha
(Mob:8984240590)

Dr. Sandeep Singh
PhD Research Scholar
Fruit Science
Uttar Pradesh
(Mob:8543826318)

At the beginning of the year 2020, our research team of Abhinavakrishi Research Organization Sambalpur, Odisha initiated a research project on the “Multi-location Trials on Strawberry (Fragaria x Annanasa Dutch) var. Winter Down in different locations of Western Odisha”. We have chosen this above variety as its performance is already evaluated and doing well in the tropical and subtropical areas of India.

Strawberry (Fragaria x Annanasa Dutch) is basically a fruit of temperate origin. It is originated from France. It is a manmade hybrid fruit crop. The hybrid originates from European horticulture in the 17th century as an accidental crossing between Fragaria virginiana and Fragaria chiloensis, species from America. It is an evergreen and low perennial herb in temperate regions of the world. During the growing season, the auxiliary buds of the crown produce prostrate growths called runners or stolen. It is propagated through runners as propagation through seed is not commercial and successful due to chilling requirement for germination, but in tropical and subtropical plain regions of India, it doesn’t produce runners. So it is transplanted in the winter season (September-October) and the growing period continues to February-March in Plain when the atmospheric temperature remains between 200C to 300C.

The fresh ripe fruit of strawberry is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Higher contains vitamin C and iron makes it a very nutritious fruit crop with 98% edible portion. The edible portion is the thalamus which is having high commercial value and accepted by people of all age groups. Fruits are mostly eaten fresh, besides dessert purposes strawberries are processed into various value-added products like canned strawberry, jam, jelly, ice cream, wine, and other soft drinks. The strawberry jam is a famous  world over due to its aesthetic taste. Due to its increasing demand among urban Indian its potential area of cultivation is getting increased day by day in the plains and southern hills of India.

There are many different varieties of Strawberries are grown around the World for fulfilling the local needs and for export purpose in commercial scale. The climate of Western Odisha and hilly areas highly suitable for its commercial cultivation in the month of October to March in the open condition whereas inside the protected structure it can be grown around the year except for April to June.

In this year our multi-location trial(MLT) was done in 10 different locations of Western Odisha which comprises Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bolangir and Boud district. We have used different kinds of mulching materials (paddy straw, black polythene mulch, Silver Coated-Black polythene mulch), fertilizers (Organic and inorganic), different doses of growth regulator (Gibbrelic Acid) and different conditions (protected and open condition) for checking its performance, fruit quality, and its shelf life,

Fruiting starts in strawberry normally after 65-70 days after planting. but in Odisha fruiting starts early due to other reasons. When 1/2th   to 1/4th  of skin color is developed it is picked from the plant for the local market and for export purpose. The average yield in tropical and subtropical areas is 300 to 500 grams of fruits per plant. We can expect an average yield of 10-12 tons /acre of Strawberry using 22000 to 25000 runners. The average price of strawberry per kg is around 100 to 150 rupees in the local market.

The booking of Planting Material of Strawberry will start from June to August.

Interested farmers can contact us for all guidance of Strawberry farming and it’s Planting Material.

Note: As the cultivation will start from October our dear farmers are requested to book the planting material by advance payment.

Any further inquiries about Strawberry cultivation in Odisha, and Uttar-Pradesh you can contact.

1. Abhilash Padhan: Odisha, (Mob:8984240590)
2. Dr.Sandeep Singh: UttarPradesh (Mob:8543826318)

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An indigenous seed conservator

Sri Sudam Sahu Ji is an indigenous seed conservator. In his in situ germplasm unit present in Bargarh Odisha having more than 600 indigenous rice seed VARIETIES( 6 black rice, Red rice, AROMATIC rice, medicinal rice, etc and more than 100 vegetables seed variety which he is promoting for the last 20 years free of cost to small and marginal Farmers across India and abroad. Any Farmer’ of India wants to take any seed from him and wants to do trials in his location, he provides free of cost also. He does seed exchange too. In that case, seed whatever he will be giving, you too have to give him an indigenous local seed of any cereals pulses vegetables and fruits to him.

His organization is doing marvelous work in western parts of Odisha by promoting Organic farming practices using indigenous rice in more than 20000 acres amongst more than 4000 small and marginal Farmers. Those VARIETIES of rice are highly resistant to both biotic and abiotic stresses factors under Desi Bihan Surakhay Mancha Odisha.

He has developed more than 6 rice VARIETIES too.

#jai Bharat Jai Kisan Jai Indigenous Desi Seeds Conservation.

Let’s work together to make India a better Country.
.

Thanks and best regards
Abhilash Padhan
Jai Bharat Jai Kisan

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Black Rice

Out of 30 landraces of black rice available in India, in Odisha, we have 6  black rice varieties available in our indigenous seed germplasm of Bargarh district of Odisha.

One local variety of black rice is “Kalabati” which grows up to 5 to 6.5 feet in height. The duration of Kalabati is 150 days. Medium type of land(Mal) is suitable for growing of Kalabati. The color of its leaves is a mix of green and purple color.

The number of tillers per plant is minimum 20 to 30. The total duration of the crop is 150 days so it can be called as a  long duration type rice. After 2 to 3 months of its growth when the plant reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet, it is pruned once during its main vegetative period of growth to encourage more numbers of productive tillers which increases the total yield and productivity per unit area.

The pruned green and purple mix leaves of black rice plant are used to feed the milking cows and buffaloes. There is an increase in the amount of production of milk is observed after giving black rice leaves harvested after 2 to 3 months of crop growth as a highly nutritious (rich in antioxidants and iron) feed to cows and buffaloes.

Rice Panicle are harvested after a period of 5 months starting transplanting in  June- July till harvesting the black rice grains in January -February. Low temperature during the winter season from the month’s of September up to January is highly necessary to increase the number of productive tillers and total grain yield of black rice per acre.

The black rice “Kalabati” (local Variety of Odisha) can only be grown once in a year during Kharif season, Whereas Manipuri black rice Chakhao is grown twice as well as thrice in a year due to shorter duration of crop growing period.

It is transplanted under SRI(system of rice intensification) or Row transplanting. The traditional way of cultivating black rice using broadcasting (Bihida dhan) process can consume 30-40 kg seeds per acre.

Seed rate is 5 kg/acre under SRI as recommended by expert’s group of team ABHINAVAKRISHI Sambalpur. Seedlings are transplanted @ 25cm(row to row) x 25cm(plant to plant)  to maintain 64,000 seedlings/acre.

On behalf of the whole team of ABHINAVAKRISHI  Sambalpur, we are promoting black rice all over India for the benefit of our small and marginal farmers as it’s a highly beneficial crop.

Although its yield is comparatively very low(12 to 15 quintal/acre), the price of its seed and rice is sold above 200 Indian rupees per Kilogram in the retail market all over India which is highest among all rice grown in India.

The benefit-cost ratio of this variety is more than 10:1 per acre whereas normal MTU 1001,1010 rice is 1.5-2:1 in Bargarh district of Odisha.

Due to purple color of its leaves, the insect’s groups are least attracted to the plant. As this variety is highly tolerant to all most all kinds of rice diseases like bacterial leaf blight, blast, brown spots and BPH (BROWN PLANTHOPPER) our farmers grow it in medium type land with good water drainage facilities without using any chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

This variety is only grown under Organic management practices with a small dosage of biofertilizers and biopesticides. Application of UREA (NITROGEN FERTILIZER) is observed harmful to this crop as the height is up to minimum 5-6 feet.  The plant show’s lodging of tillers and yield is reduced due to difficulties in the harvesting of the crop while using chemical fertilizers like UREA.

We have already distributed the seeds of black rice Kalabati in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, New Delhi NCR, Uttarakhand for cultivation among farmers who are mostly small and marginal.

As black rice is rich in protein, iron, and antioxidants it is sold at minimum Rs 200 to Rs 800₹ per Kg across India.

We are maintaining a stock of black rice seeds(Kalabati and Manipuri ‘Chakhao ) which we would like to distribute among interested  farmers groups across India for the benefit of small and marginal Farmers and to provide highly nutritious natural black rice to people’s mostly suffering from diabetics, kidney, heart diseases , cancer as it is rich source of protein and antioxidants.

Waiting for Your Kind Response to Make India a better Country.

For purchase of black rice & seed contact
Biswajit Pradhan (M-8249817078)

Jai Bharat Jai Kisan

Thanks & Best Regards:
Abhilash Padhan( BSC AGRICULTURE)
Abhinava Krishi, Sambalpur

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Training program concluded Successfully

3days Intensive Training Program on Organic Farming, Agro Ecology, Homatherapy , Briksha Ayurveda(26th to 28th may 2018 at Kamgaon Junior College, Kamgaon, Bargarh, Odisha)

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Conclusion:28.05.18

The 3day intensive training program on the above aspects was a successfully completed with the kind support and blessings of all our farmer’s. This 3days training program mostly focuses on the current position of health statistics of Indian people. The 4 different non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart, cancer, and allergy which is causing a higher impact on human health and death statistics. According to one report of WHO more than 70 percent of all diseases in human is directly due to polluted food and environment, where using heavy use of pesticides is one of the major factors. The Bargarh district of Odisha is suffering a lot in terms of its deteriorating health statistics due to cancer, heart, kidney which is very nicely explained by our Resource person Sri Dibendu Sahu (BHMS GARPOS PHC) on the first day(26th) of the training program. On the second half of 1st day, Sri Sudam Sahu explained about the importance of conservation of Biodiversity and it’s proper utilization and exploitation for the benefit of human society and for good health of human, soil and environment. He shared his experiences during his Visit to Punjab in the late nineties to a different district like Bathinda, Patiala and expressed his concerned that like Cancer express running from Bathinda Punjab to Jaisalmer Rajasthan, a new trained will be named as Cancer express which will start from Bargarh to New Delhi. On the second day of the training program, we had a visit to the seed conservatory unit of Sri Sudam Sahu ji where we have found more than 460 varieties of indigenous heirloom seeds of Rice. According to one report, we had more than 20000 varieties of indigenous landraces of rice before the green revolution which was the sole cause to destroy our diversity of food habits and our heirloom seeds. It’s very very positive sign and noteworthy that in spite of many challenges and lack of any financial support Sri Sudam Sahu sole-handedly with support from his wife and parents is able to conserve such a huge diversity of rice germplasm. He has also developed 6 different varieties of rice by the crossing of two different varieties through the process of natural outcrossing in rice which maximum 2 to 3 percentage. Along with rice he has conserved more than 60 different indigenous vegetables seeds. On the second half of Ist day, many our guests of our program Sri Jagadish Pradhan (SAHABHAGI BIKAS ABHIYAN,) (Former Member Commission of Farmers in Agriculture, GOI) Focused on how to market all different kinds of agriculture products through FPO model. Currently, his NGO SBA (SAHABHAGI BIKAS ABHIYAN) is working in all over Odisha and supporting more than 60 FPO (FARMER’S producer’s organization’s) at states level of Odisha. Sri Narinder Singh Jhinjha ( member Bharatiya Kisan union) focused on the current situation of his native place Punjab and made our Farmers of Odisha aware about the situation that Odisha should not become like Punjab. Odisha should not lose its agro biodiversity in terms of grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits species.
Sri Afzal Zafri along with Karan Rao from Focus on the global south (an international research policy organization) was our organizing partner for the 3 day’s training program. Sri Afzal Zafri sir focused on WTO world trade agreements made by Government of India and due to that FTA Free trade agreements 1992 what Indian Farmers and rural primary Growers are suffering. He focuses on how to combat the current situation of distress sell by studying the international market. Sri Amiya Prasad Sahu (Seed Incharge) agriculture department focuses on conservation of indigenous seeds which is the need of the hour and to preserve as more as possible.

On the second half of the second day, Sri Subash Sharma ji from Yavatmal district of Maharashtra who is a Natural Farming TRAINER delivered his power point presentation of his concept of natural farming model. He focused on the base of agriculture and evolutionary relationships among all the life forms on earth surface to maintain a natural balance. He focused on his own natural concept of preparation of Aluakik Khad which works as a microbial biofertilizer and increase soil fertility and nutrient status which is very much beneficial for Organic crop production. Apart from Aluakik khad his concept of indigenous cow farming by just make them roam free in a particular area where they will get green for their fees and their compost dropping and cow urine increases the soil fertility status of that Particular surrounded are which he termed “Mukt Gau Krishi”. He has focused on the evolution of nature with respect to agriculture in his powerpoint presentations

On the third day of the program, Sri Subash Sharma ji demonstrated the concept of maintaining biodiversity in plot and making deep trenches which helps to conserve water and increase the status of soil water by making deep trenches along the borders of the field.

He practically demonstrated how to prepare Aluakik khad by mixing gobar, pulses remains, Gur and Gomutra.

On the second half of the closing date (28th), our team abhinavakrishi Sambalpur felicitated all our Dias members with a sambalpuri towel which is made of pure and natural cotton. The team abhinavakrishi Sambalpur awarded a farmer name (Sri Sabda Padhan from Baragad village of Bargarh district) who had able to make a profit of more than 1 lakhs just by selling different post-harvest products of tomato like seeds,pulp powder ,sauce,puree, tomato powder chocolate at that time when people were suffering by selling direct tomato at 2₹ per kg and bearing heavy loss. He was awarded “the Abhinavakrishi samman 2018” because of successful marketing of agriculture produce. Along with him, Sri Vishal Singh of KVSS(KAIBLAYA BICHAR SEVA SAMITI) was also awarded due to his extraordinary activities in promotion of cow based Organic Farming among the rural areas of Odisha. Sri Chakra Pradhan popularly called as lemon tree doctor also demonstrated his concept of identifying insects pest by using a stethoscope. He was awarded from Rashtrapati Pratibha Devi Singh Patil during 2010 at New Delhi due to his innovative approach towards identifying pests in different fruiting trees and how to control them.

Along with the training program an exhibition was held where different kinds of indigenous rice along with turmeric powder and vermicompost was shown. On behalf of focus on the global south, all the Farmers were given a set of 10 different books on the concept of natural farming, agro ecology, wto agreement etc. Organic food with indigenous rice like kusum kali, sunakathi, Jhilli, HMT super fine along with traditional dishes like (Letha: vegetables soup,) was served to all along using sal leaf plates which were the main attraction of this program. Along with nicotine free herbal Drink called “Pea Sakti” which is made. from the collection of different herbs and roots which helps to increase the digestive capacity of our stomach.

At the end of the third day(28th) conclusion was given by team abhinavakrishi Sambalpur to build a team in all over Odisha and to work together for the better and effective promotion of natural farming along with proper marketing by developing value chain for Organic food items for the benefit of small and marginal Farmers of Odisha…

Sri Chakra Pradhan gave indigenous seed packets to all as prasad of the training program. All the members who had attended the program here by promised to take care of the biodiversity and its conservation by conservation of different heirloom seeds.

Jai Bharat Jai Kisan…

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3 days intensive training program on Organic Farming, homeotherapy

Abhinava Krisi announces a 3 days intensive training cum workshop program on organic farming, homeotherapy, agroecology and briksha ayurveda at Kamgaon, Bargarh.

This workshop is organized by Abhinava Krishi in collaboration with
FOCUS ON THE GLOBAL SOUTH and ROSA LUXEMBURG STIFTUNG.

Interested participants can register here or send their application form in this format and send to abhilash.padhan@abhinava-krishi.com

For Donation.
DEPOSIT YOUR DONATION AMOUNT:
SBI ACCOUNT NUMBER:35793784796
NAME:ABHILASH PADHAN
IFSC CODE:SBIN0011576
ADDRESS:DHANUPALI,SAMBALPUR
ABHINAVAKRISHI SAMBALPUR