The state government is promoting horticulture to increase farmers’ incomes. In this regard, Mr. Pramod Chandrakar, a farmer from Karmapatpar (Bhadarasi) village in the Bagbahara development block of Mahasamund district, has achieved success in horticulture despite limited land resources through the support of the National Horticulture Mission, innovation, modern technology, and his own hard work. He is moving towards self-reliance through horticultural crops.
Mr. Chandrakar explains that he owns a total of 0.41 hectares of land, which was previously traditionally used for paddy cultivation. This method was costly and yielded relatively low yields. However, over time, he decided to change his farming methods and moved towards horticultural crops.
He adopted modern techniques like drip irrigation, which not only saved water but also increased crop quality and production. He now cultivates coriander, onion, and marigold in both the Kharif and Rabi seasons. Mr. Pramod Chandrakar explains that he has produced approximately 5 to 6 quintals per acre from his coriander cultivation. This yield has generated a profit of approximately 50,000 rupees per acre. This profit is realized after accounting for input costs, labor costs, and all other expenses. Mr. Pramod Chandrakar’s achievement has inspired the entire village. Inspired by his guidance and experience, other farmers are now turning to horticultural crop cultivation.
