Traditional Farming to Vegetable Farming
Farmers in Banka are now opting for vegetable farming over traditional farming to earn more profit. This shift allows them to earn cash quickly with lower costs. Prakash Mahato, a farmer from Kalyanpur village in Banka district, cultivates only vegetables on his 15 bigha farm. Throughout the year, he grows crops like pumpkin, bitter gourd, sponge gourd, beans, okra, and ridge gourd.
From Education to Vegetable Farming
Prakash Mahato, who studied until 10th grade, turned to farming in 1998 due to poor family conditions. While traditional crops like rice, wheat, corn, and moong were grown in the region previously, the focus has shifted to vegetable farming in the last 10 years. Mahato got the idea for vegetable farming when he visited his relative’s village and saw the potential for higher profits. He started with sponge gourd cultivation and has been growing vegetables ever since.
Cultivating Ridge Gourd for Profit
Local farmers in Banka explained that cultivating ridge gourd takes about 180 days, with sowing usually done from January to February. Most farmers use the seed sowing method for ridge gourd cultivation. They prepare ridges in the fields, sow seeds with the help of a plow, and irrigate them after two to three days. The seedlings sprout within seven days, and flowering begins within 40 days, leading to production for about 140 days. With minimal expenses, farmers can earn over 5 lakhs annually from vegetable farming like ridge gourd.
बांका जिले के किसान प्रकाश महतो ने परंपरागत खेती के बजाय सब्जियों की खेती करना चुना है। उन्होंने बरबट्टी की खेती करने का तरीका बताया है, जिससे किसानों को नगद मुनाफा हो रहा है। इसके लिए उन्हें कम समय और लागत में अच्छा मुनाफा हो रहा है। उनका अनुभव दिखाता है कि सब्जी की खेती से अधिक मुनाफा हो सकता है, जिससे उन्होंने अच्छे मुनाफे की बात की है। इससे वह सालाना 5 लाख से अधिक का मुनाफा कमा रहे हैं।
