Organic fertiliser key to improve yield, cut costs

Luxettipet: Application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is known to be driving farmers into debts. Gade Srinivas of Nelki Venkatapur in Dandepalli mandal of Mancherial district did not want to take it lying down or keep up with the Joneses.

Vexed with the application of astronomically priced chemical fertilizers and pesticides, he switched to organic fertilizers eight years back. Today he has accomplished astonishing results that can serve as examples for others to follow. He has been achieving higher yields in a cost-effective manner.

In the beginning, yield from his land was low on account of excessive application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in the past. For two years, the same phenomenon continued even after application of organic manure, prepared using cow urine and cow dung.

Srinivas started rearing domestic breed of cows since their urine and dung have properties akin to those of natural pesticides and fertilisers. He applies organic fertilizers like Beejamrutam, Solid Jeevamrutam, Brahmaastram, Agneyaastram and has been cultivating paddy, red gram, groundnut and other crops.

Beejamrutam is used to purify the seeds. The farmer applies Beejamrutam to land while ploughing the land for the last time to prepare the plot for sowing. Neemastram and Brahmastram, prepared using cow urine, are the best solutions to tackle sucking worm (rasam peelchu purugu).
Application of organic equivalents cut down costs of fertilizers by 80 per cent.

Neemastram, prepared using neem leaves and other ingradients, is every effective in tackling pests. Rotation of crops helps destroy pests that attack a particular crop and improves soil fertility. As a result, the yield will go up. Srinivas rotates crops effectively and raises paddy in kharif and rotates with ground nut in rabi. He also cultivates turmeric and vegetables.

Explaining the significance of organic farming, Srinivas said that application of fertilizers would augment soil fertility and conserve the environment. The input costs have come down drastically and they help improve profitability. Organic cultivation is the key to sustenance of farmers. He has achieved an yield of 40 bags per acre in paddy by practicing organic cultivation.

Forest Minister Jogu Ramanna, Mancherial District Collector RV Karnan inspected Srinivas’ organic farm on November 26 last year. They enquired from him about his methods of cultivation and appreciated him. During the regime of Kiran Kumar Reddy as Chief Minister, he received the ‘Best Farmer’ award on March 23, 2012. He has attended various agriculture seminars and workshops.

By Paruvelli Satyanarayana​