Warangal: Reaping rich from horticulture

Warangal: Notwithstanding the huge potential of horticultural crops, a majority of farmers still stuck to traditional crops and age-old cropping patterns. Farmers in Warangal Rural district, who identified the need for shifting from traditional crops to fruits and vegetables, have a massive success by doubling their income.

Thanks to the special impetus shown by Rural District Collector M Haritha that led to a large-scale increase in the production of horticultural crops in the region. This year the farmers have taken up cultivation of horticulture crops in 51,868 acres - fruits 10,506 acres, vegetables 8,433 acres, chilli 14,579 acres, turmeric 16,750 acres, flowers 313 acres, plantation 1,037 and mulberry 250 acres. In all, 29,922 farmers have taken up horticulture crops.

Bommineni Raja Ranga Reddy of Elukurthy village under Geesukonda mandal who has five acres used to cultivate maize in the past. Against this backdrop, Reddy erected a permanent pandal system in his field. He adapted drip irrigation and mulching with the help of the Horticulture Department to cultivate ridge gourd and bitter gourd in his five acres. In all, Reddy had to invest Rs 5 lakh which includes costs of seed, fertilisers, pesticides, mulching and labour charges.

In return, Reddy earned Rs 13 lakh after harvesting both the crops. He had a net profit of Rs 8 lakh after subtracting investment. Reddy said, "I never earned more than Rs 2 lakh when I cultivated maize in my field."