Farmers in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh have traditionally been cultivating wheat, soybean, sugarcane, gram, and paddy.
A progressive farmer, Kanchan Verma wanted to explore new crops for better returns. So, she ventured into turmeric cultivation.
“By cultivating traditional crops, we were able to earn Rs 1.5 lakh in an acre. Whereas, we have doubled our income to Rs 3 lakh by growing turmeric,” she says.
Kanchan was motivated to take up turmeric farming after seeing a television programme that showcased its advantages. She went on to take a seven-day training at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).
Later on, she opted for the Sangli variety of turmeric which has high curcumin turmeric content and is often used for medicinal purposes.
She points out that it is very important to keep in mind the kind of soil used for turmeric cultivation.
“Our region is famous for black soil that is suitable for wheat cultivation. However, a well-drained sandy loam soil rich in humus content works well for growing turmeric,” she informs.
“Also, black soil is soft when wet but forms hard blocks when it gets dry. So, we need a sandy loamy solid that is well-drained. In our district, only a few blocks including our Kesla block have such soil,” she adds.
Last year, Kanchan got a bountiful harvest of 400 quintals. She processes the entire produce as powdered turmeric gets higher returns. With this, she earned Rs 12 lakh from four-acre of land.
Kanchan claims she is the first such farmer to practice turmeric farming in this region.
“Local farmers here were reluctant to grow turmeric as it has a longer growing season but they ignore the fact that it gives definitive and huge returns. As a farmer, we should keep experimenting in the field,” she adds.