Profitable farming - Rs. 6 Lakh per Acre from Natural Farming (Zero budget farming) Sri Krishnappa Dasappa Gowda has developed this model in 5 acres. He has divided that 5 acres into equal blocks of 36ft X 36ft. In this video, he explains that in each block of 36 ft x 36 ft (which is further divided into four 9ft X 9ft sub-blocks) he is growing around 170 [plants and] trees.
In that he is explaining about the yield he is getting in a 9ft x 9 ft portion of land (one sub-block). He planted 1 Banana tree, 4 Arecanut Trees, 4 Black pepper creepers climbing on Arecanut trees, 2 Coffee plants, 2 Gliricidia trees, 2 Vanilla creepers climbing on Gliricidia trees & 32 Ginger plants in each 9ft X 9ft area.
He says that the Yield from:
(1) 1 Banana Tree - 10 Kg X Rs.20/- = Rs. 200=00
(2) 4 Arecanut Trees - 25 Kg x 4 Trees x Rs.15/- = Rs.1500=00
(3) 2 Vanilla creepers + 2 Gliricidia Trees - 50 gms x 2 trees x Rs.3/- = Rs. 300=00
(4) 4 Black Pepper creepers - 1 Kg x 4 x Rs.400/- = Rs.1600=00
(5) 2 Coffee plants - 2 Kg x 2 Plants x Rs.80/- = Rs. 320=00
(6) 32 Ginger plants - 0.15 kg x 32 x Rs.100/- = (Rs. 480=00) (This income Rs.480/- is utilized for expenses)
Total income from 9ft x 9 ft (Sub- block) land = Rs.3800 = 00
So, for each 36ft x 36ft block (4 Sub-blocks + 1 Coconut tree + 1 Mosambi tree) the total income is approximately Rs.18000 = 00.
Explanation:- income from each 9ft X 9ft sub-block = Rs.15,200/- In addition to these blocks he planted 1 Mosambi (citrus) tree and 1 Coconut Tree in each 36ft X 36ft block and the income from them is Rs.2000/- and Rs.1000/- respectively. So, the total income from each 36ft X 36ft Block is Rs.18,200/- and rounded off to Rs.18,000/-
For 1 acre there are 33 similar blocks like this. So, the total income per acre is Rs.6 Lakh approx. (Rs.18,200/- X 33 blocks = Rs.6,00,600/- and rounded off to 6 Lakhs).
CONCLUSION : He doesn't have any borewell in his farm and he says that his land is a double wet land and mostly it is rainfed, canal water is used very rarely during peak summer. Water consumption is 10% of regular farming. He suggests that all the farmers should adopt similar Natural Farming Methods and grow plants & crops suitable for their local climate and reap money. Wish you all the best .
Five Layer Palekar Models (Model I)
(Mango, Amla, Custard apple, Drumstick, Sapota, Orange, Mosambi, Kinno(vengai tree in Tamil, Bijasal in Hindi, Honne in Kannada), Lemon, Malta(some orange), Guava, Pomegranate)
Five Layer Palekar Models (Model II)
(Coconut, Areca nut, Black Pepper, Coffee, Cocoa, Vanilla, Rubber, Pine apple, Oil Palm, Cashew nut)
Once a software engineer now a beekeeper, turns down promotion and onsite job in United States for entrepreneurship!
“I was a software engineer in Wipro Technologies, Bangalore. I resigned my job to do beekeeping at my home town Karur District, Tamil Nadu. I produce the rarest form of uni-floral honey products and sell it online through my own website www.honeykart.com,” says Mr. Krishnamurthy Sanaparatti Palanisamy, Founder.
Mr. Krishnamurthy is a 2007 engineering graduate in communication. He worked with Wipro Technologies as a programmer. After working for two years, he was offered a promotion and onsite job in United States. “That was the day, I took the toughest decision to quit the job, return home, and become an entrepreneur,” he says.
He insists he didn’t leave Wipro but left his IT profession because, “City life didn’t suit me so I came out,” and adds, “Initially I did some share trading business but didn’t gain much and finally decided to invest my money in my own business rather than investing in others.”
Bitten by the entrepreneurship bug Mr. Krishnamurthy did one year vigorous search and then decided to produce and sell honey, “I found that beekeeping is very important for agriculture, horticulture and forestry but it wasn’t practiced properly in Tamil Nadu,” he adds. This was the beginning of his life as a beekeeper.
Honey Kart was established at Aravakuruchi Taluk, Karur District,Tamil Nadu with the capital investment of Rs. 3 lakhs funded by his friends Krishnaraj, Arun and Prabhu.
Business that looks rosy after its profits are revealed surely is full of thorns during its initial start and so was it for this scientific beekeeper. “3 years ago, my first year in beekeeping was very tough. I didn’t even earn a single rupee. I found many problems in bees and was not able to solve it immediately,” he shares.
None of information received from beekeeping experts, whom he met in person help to solve the problems. With a ‘not-to-give-up attitude’ Mr. Krishnamurthy took to internet and contacted beekeepers within and outside India. He gathered lot of tips from internet and steadily solved all the problems in beekeeping one by one during each seasonal change. “Now I have disease free colonies working at its best, which is important to produce high-quality honey,” he adds.
Mr. Krishnamurthy didn’t take the usual route to beekeeping and instead he brought the difference with his innovative skills and developed unifloral honey varieties that were never existing in India. He calls himself a scientific beekeeper because he uses advanced beekeeping technique. “I direct the honey bees to a particular flora and collect honey from same flora in order to produce unifloral honey namely drumstick, coriander, glory lily, mango, sesame, jamun, sunflower, banana, and neem,” he says and adds, “No two unifloral honey will have the same taste, smell, colour and moisture content. For example sunflower honey will be golden yellow while mango honey will be maroon in colour.”
Detailing further he says, “Bees were invented in nature for pollination of plants. It carries pollen from male flower and honey from female flower to their hives, as both these items are their food. After collecting pollen, they visit female flower to collect nectar (honey), and the pollen from the bees’ body is transferred to female flower while it collects honey. Thus pollination happens.”
It is the natural behaviour of the bees not to transfer pollen from male flower of one plant variety to female flower of other plant variety and vice versa. “I use this behaviour of bees to collect honey from same flora by keeping the hives in the vast cultivation of single flora,” he says and adds, “When sufficient honey (bee flora) is made available from a single floral variety plants, the bees will not go to other flora until the nectar secretion of the existing flower is stopped.” This helps in producing unifloral honey.
Special benefit is, “When ayurvedic medicines are taken along with the unifloral honey it gives best results. Most of my customers are taking ayurvedic medicines and are quite happy with the outcomes,” he claims. Other than unifloral honey variants Mr. Krishnamurthy’s another innovation is ‘honey for babies less than 12 months age’. He informs, “This honey is collected from new combs and extra care is taken for processing; hence it is resistant to all sorts of allergies or side effects in babies.” Honey for Babies can be made from any flowering plants with only one requisite that the honey comb should be newly constructed by the bees. “This honey is obtained in the beginning of honey flow season where the bees make new combs for the next one year,” he informs.
Honey production depends on the bees’ strength. “I will collect 6kgs in 6 days from one hive provided enough bee flora is available. The raw honey collected is processed later. Usually Mr. Krishnamurthy processes 200 kg/day. He stores the processed honey in cans and based on orders the honey is packed in glass or food grade pet bottles. Beekeeper recommends to the consumers to store honey in air-tight jars. Shelf life of packed honey bottles is 5 years while once opened it stays for 2 years. Commonly honey is packed in 250 gms bottles but courier packing (for home delivery) is completely different.
All honey products are sold through company’s website www.honeykart.com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/honeykart. Website provides details on health benefits of each unifloral honey. Approximate cost of unifloral honey is Rs. 716/kg. Honey for Babies is priced more. Buyers can even opt for home delivery option within India. “Most of customers are from Bangalore and Chennai. Due to my honey quality, 90% of buyers become regular customers,” he informs.
It is an established fact that beekeeping helps in crop yield increase (approximately by 30%) through pollination. Hence Mr. Krishnamurthy’s beekeeping venture is turning out as a boon for farmers in Tamil Nadu. He shares, “Many farmers from various districts in Tamil Nadu call me to place my bee hives in their farm for pollination purpose. During flowering season, I keep my beehives in their agriculture farm for free of cost, and once the flowering season is finished I bring back my hives after harvesting honey. I am benefited by honey produce and farmers by the extra 30% crop yield. It is a win-win business for both of us.” Technical training on beekeeping is also provided on nominal charges.
He plans to double the honey production this year and adds, “South India is famous for spices and herbs and most of these are flower producing plants. I want to try my hands on these flavours as this cannot be produced elsewhere in the world. I want to explore our nature.”
Following his heart Mr. Krishnamurthy has attained success and now enjoys stress-free life. Being an entrepreneur himself he strongly feels the country needs power of entrepreneurship. After seeing his success and attitude he is invited by colleges to encourage youth. “While giving lectures on “Entrepreneurship” to college students I noticed that the students love to listen from an entrepreneur himself and this indirectly encourages me as well,” he shares and concludes, “I have to sketch down a plan to earn enormously through genuine beekeeping practice because I need to become a role model to start-up entrepreneurs that a lot can be earned when you become an entrepreneur!”
Contact details- Honey Kart Scientific Beekeeping Farms Aravakuruchi, Pin:639201 Karur-district, Tamil Nadu, India Mobile: 91503 70525 Email: honeykart@hotmail.com Website: www.honeykart.com, www.facebook.com/honeykart
Known commonly as gliricidia or madre tree, Gliricidia sepium is well known in plantation
agriculture as a shade tree. Therefore, it is also called the Mother of Cocoa. It is a nitrogen-fixing tree
that is native to Central and South America. Gliricidia was introduced to Sri Lanka from West Indies
and later to India.
Tree.
Gliricidia is a small fast growing, deciduous, thornless tree. Its short trunk is covered with soft
gray bark marked by longitudinal cracks. It grows up to 10 m height. It has an open crown and a trunk
of less than 30 cm diameter.
Distribution.
It is grown for green manure in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. It is
widely planted on farm bunds, backyards, and as live fencing.
Soil and Climate.
Gliricidia prefers deep, rich, well-drained soils. It can be grown up to an elevation of
1000 m, but does not tolerate frost. It is a fast-growing species, especially in warm and humid climate.
Propagation.
It is propagated by seed or cuttings. The easiest method is to use poles of about 2.0 m
length, which regenerate readily and grow into a tree within a short period. Removal of such poles also
helps keep the tree in proper shape. Seeds can be sown directly or in polybags and raised in a nursery
for transplanting.
Important uses:
Green manure.
Gliricidia enhances soil organic matter when green foliage and dry leaf litter are
incorporated. Being a nitrogen fixer, the biomass of gliricidia is a rich source of nitrogen. During dry
and cold seasons, it sheds its leaves and thereby conserves precious soil moisture. It can be grown
along the boundaries of the field and the green matter per ha annually. Its essential nutrient
composition is 2.9% N, 0.5% P2O5 and 2.8% K2O.
Wood and fuel.
Wood finishes smoothly and is suitable for making small articles, agricultural
implements and tool handles. Wood is highly resistant to termites and decay. It is also used for ports
and heavy construction. It is a good fuel wood with a calorific value of 4,900 k. cal per kg. Gliricidia
produces ample branch wood as it coppices easily.
Ornamental value.
The tree produces dense masses of attractive white or pink flowers. The flowers
are a good source of forage for bees. The flowers appear during January March when the tree is
leafless. It can be grown along paths of parks, gardens and avenues. It can also be pruned to a height
of 2.0 m and maintained as a hedge.
Shade.
Gliricidia is traditionally used as a shade tree for plantation crops and as a support for pepper
and vanilla.
Fodder.
Leaves of gliricidia contain more than 20% crude protein and are nutritious for cattle. But
livestock not conditioned to it may not readily eat it. In such situations, wilting the leaf may be helpful.
Other uses.
The roots, bark and seeds are poisonous. Juice of the leaves is used for treating
centipede bite. Flowers and seeds are used as rat poison. Powdered seeds, leaves and bark
mixed with rice are used for controlling storage pests.
Peepal tree is also called Ashvatha tree. Dr.Babu explained that Ashva meant Horse in Sanskrit and in ancient times horses were probably tied to rest under this tree. Ganesha idol is commonly found below it and Hindu ascetics meditated beneath this tree. It is said that Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating underneath this tree. The tree gives out compartively more oxygen and that is probably why people assembled under these trees for worship as well as for village panchayat meetings. (The ever present Naattamai theerpu scenes in Tamil films!) We admired its heart shaped leaves and heard how the tree was considered sacred by Hindus as well as Buddhists. This tree belongs to the Fig family. When the coordinator mentioned the wonderful relationship between the fig tree and fig wasp, some of us remembered the account by Richard Dawkins about this symbiotic relationship in his book Climbing Mount Improbable.
2) Arjuna tree –Terminalia arjuna – Marudha maram
We learnt that it is also called ‘neer marudhu’ in Tamil and is found near river banks. The silkworm that produces Tassar silk resides in this tree. We observed its characteristic woody fibrous fruits which enables the dispersal of seed through hydrochory (dissemination of seeds by floating in water).
3) Cannonball tree – Couroupita guianensis -Nagalinga maram
The tree has been aptly named – the fruit looks like a cannonball and the flower looks like a hooded serpent. The nagalinga flower has a distinct appearance and emits a strong and sweet fragrance.
4) Honey Tree – Madhuca longifolia – Iluppai Maram
The sweetness of the iluppai flower has been immortalized in the Tamil proverb ‘ “aalai illaa oorukku iluppaip poo charkkarai” – where there is no sugar mill,the iluppai flower serves as sugar. Dr.Babu explained how the oil cake from the iluppai seed was used in Shrimp farming to kill the fish which preyed upon the prawns. While the fishes are killed by the extract of this plant by means of haemolysis since their blood contain haemoglobin, the shrimps are not affected since they transport oxygen in their blood through haemocyanin.
This tree yields a nut ‘kadukkai’ which is one of the three ingredients in ‘Triphala’ an Ayurvedic medicine.
6) Indian Mahogany – Swietenia mahagoni – Maravembu
The wood is sturdy and is used to make furniture, boats and musical instruments. The bark of the tree has medicinal properties.
7) Indian Jamun – Syzygium cumini – Naaval maram
The tree is native to India and is known as Jamun tree in English as well though the other names are Java Plum tree or Malabar Plum tree. The fruits of this tree are of a distinct purple colour and is nutritious. They are also used to make dyes. There is a legend about how Avvaiyar was engaged in a witty joust by the disguised lord Murugan underneath this tree.
8) Fish tail palm – Caryota mitis – Koonthal panai
It is an ornamental plant and the leaves resemble a fish tail. The dense foliage is said to resemble the flowing tresses of a woman and hence the Tamil name.
9) Indian gooseberry (Amla) tree – Phyllanthus emblica – Nelli maram
The Amla fruit which has a sour and astringent taste is highly nutritious with a good content of Vitamin C. The seeds, leaves, bark and the fruit is used in Ayurveda . It is also used in inks, hair dyes and shampoos because of its high tannin content. Legend has it that the Tamil poet Avvaiyar was offered this highly prized fruit by her friend King Athiyaman to give her a long life and the story is told to appreciate their exemplary friendship.
10) Sandalwood tree – Santalum album – Sandana Maram
The fragrant sandalwood is highly valued and the Essential oil derived from the wood finds uses in the cosmetic industry. It is used to manufacture perfumes. Sandalwood paste is used in Hindu rituals.
11) Kadamba tree – Neolamarckia cadamba – Kadambu maram
This tree has glossy green leaves and is grown commonly as an avenue tree. In mythology it was on the Kadamba tree Krishna hid the garments of gopis and played pranks on them.
12) Indian laurel – Calophyllum inophyllum – Punnai maram
It is an ornamental tree and grows along the coast. The oil from the seed is said to have medicinal properties and is used to cure skin diseases. This tree is the sthala vruksham of the Kapaleeshwarar temple at Mylapore, Chennai. Dr.Babu stated that Sthala vruksham did not mean sacred tree but only meant the predominant species of that area. People inhabiting that area probably had a livelihood based on the local bio resources which they conserved and considered as sacred so that it was neither overexploited nor depleted. Once the dependency on that bioresource for their livelihood diminished that particular species was not conserved and was depleted in that area. A lone tree of that era might have survived inside the temple. Now people treat that tree as sacred forgetting its important uses.
13) Jackfruit tree – Artocarpus heterophyllus – Palaa maram
The word chakka in Malayalam became jaca in Portuguese which is said to be the origin of the name jackfruit. The leaves are similar to that of the leaves of the Punnai maram and the resource person explained the difference in the veins of the leaves. While Jackfruit leaves had angular veins the punnai leaves had parallel veins. The fruit is very sweet and popular in Kerala and Tamilnadu and the wood is used to make musical instruments and furniture. Jackfruit along with Mango and Banana (Maa, palaa, vazhai) are considered the chief of fruits in Tamilnadu.
14) Indian almond tree- Terminalia catappa – Naattu Vadhumai
The tree has distinct circular branches and is commonly found in the city. The seed is edible and has a taste similar to the almond. When the leaves are about to fall they turn a brownish red and the tree looks beautiful then.
This tree is found in Africa and Southeast Asia as well. The seed is surrounded by the soft fibre and is seen floating in the wind.
16) Indian palm tree – Phoenix sylvestris – Panai maram
This is a very common tree and is the State tree of Tamilnadu. The leaves are used for making bags, mats etc., The sap is tapped and fermented to produce toddy.
17) Tamarind tree – Tamarindus indica – Puliya maram
The tree is indigenous to Africa and was brought to India. The name derives from ArabicTamr-ind meaning Indian date. The fruit has a major culinary use and the wood is used to make furniture. Some trees are intertwined with some stories and it is impossible to look at a tree without remembering the story. I could not help remembering Sundara Ramasamy’s novel ‘Oru Puliya Marathin Kathai’ wherein a Tamarind tree is the central character around which the lives of the villagers are woven beautifully.
18) White teak – Gmelina arborea – Kumizh/Venthekku
This is a fast growing tree and the timber is used to make furniture, doors, musical instruments. The wood when burnt yields the whitest possible ash and it is said that this ash was used by our ancestors to draw the cave paintings in Tamilnadu. It finds uses in Ayurveda too.
Soil: Arid, deep sandy & loamy soils are suitable. Dry areas with low rainfall are also ideal.
Propagation: Seed. Germination of 63.25 % are achieved 6 weeks after sowing
Seed sowing: Seed nut should be high yielder of padaneer & fruits, dwarf in stature, early and regular bearer, free from pest & diseases. Select matured fruit bunches and yellow tinch in stylar region. Seeds are stored in shade for 3 weeks. Shrunken, weight less and bored seeds are rejected. Seeds may be directly sown in situ or in nursery to raise the seedlings. For direct sowing 3 – 4 whole fruits are planted in pits (20 cm3) at 10 m apart and half filled with sand and soil mixture. Pit is covered with dried leaves. Sowing may be taken up during rainy months (November). Germination takes place within 3 weeks.
Nursery transplanting: Seeds can be sown in mound formed by keeping sand to form a bed of 1 m broad, 60 cm height or nursery beds built with bricks of 2 m broad, 60 cm height. Seeds are sown in 10 cm space and covered with sand. About 1 yr old seedling is lifted from the nursery and containerized in polythene bags. After rooting transplant in the main field.
Spacing: 3m x 3m (1110 palms/ha)
Manuring: Generally farmers adopt Sheep penning to the palms. Application of 10 kg FYM/pit before planting. Dosage may be increased biannually till reaching 60 kg FYM/tree/year
After cultivation: Consist of gap filling; inter ploughing, basin rectification in the initial few years,. Gap filling may be carried out by using containerized seedlings. Basin rectification has to be done before rains; it helps collection and storage of rain water.
Pruning: Pruning of 30 per cent leaves @ 10 per cent in phased manner.
Inter cropping : Cowpea, moringa, green gram, red gram, bengal gram, ber, amla, pomegranate, west Indian cherry & guava can be intercropped.
Growth and yield : Palmyrah is a slow grower. First frond appears in about 5 months. First fan shaped tree leaves appears only in the 2nd year. When it attains the height of 12 – 18 m, comes to flowering (13 – 15 yrs) for padaneer (Sweet sap) purpose. Average of 100 – 200 lit obtained for a period of 4 months from Feb – May. Padaneer and fruit yield are highly variable in individual palms.
Tapping: Extraction of sap (Neera/ Padaneer) from inflorescence is called tapping. According to sex of the palm & age of the inflorescence, different kinds of tappings are available.
Tapping
Aripanai - In male palm sheath covering the young inflorescence is removed and dried for 3 weeks. End is cut every time & pot is tied (1- 1 ½ months).
Vallupanai - One month old spikes are selected. Each male spike bearing sessile flowers is pretreated by pressing and stroking & 3 - 6 such spikes are brought together, wrapped with leaves and fitted to a pot.
Thattupalai – It has to be done in female palm to soften the tissue by hitting the inflorescence main axis with iron rod
Kaivetty - employed when the inflorescence is about 2 – 3 months old. Female palms are tapped for a longer period. i.e., April- Dec. and male for Dec – Feb. Sap is collected twice a day. Each time at the end of the collection of sap, a new cut surface is made by thin slicing. Tapped sap is called Neera or padaneer.
Yield
150 litres of padaneer / tree / year
24 kg jaggery/ tree / year
Jaggery recovery/litre of padaneer: 180 – 250 g of jiggery
Continuing with where we left in the last blog, we will discuss more ways to improve as well as sustain the soil.
As a rule of thumb, please remember "The Soil need not be exposed to direct sunlight and the sunlight is required only for the plants and that too by the leaves of the plants"
Don't expose the soil to direct sunlight
Most of the land is occupied by Trees, Crops etc and only the minimal area is not occupied by any crop. In this situation, we can go for Live (or) Green Mulch, Dead Mulch.
In case of traditional crops like Paddy, Sugarcane etc, the unwanted roots or branches should not be burnt and left as is to decompose in the very soil.
Live Mulch can be even weeds as well as any legume crops or grasses as well.
Dead Mulch can be plantains, dead leaves, twigs, broken branches etc. The Dead Mulch need to be spread in those areas where the soil is exposed to the sunlight and this will reduce the soil getting hot and also will reduce the evaporation in the process.
The Soil can be improved further if we allow the earthworms to live there. The earthworms cannot tolerate direct sunlight and hence will not be coming to the top of the soil if there is direct sunlight. As we all know, the more the earthworms, it is better for the soil as well as for the farmer. The earthworms improve the air passage, water seepage and provide nutrients to the roots of the crops.
We can also improve the soil by making the dead mulch decompose faster by sprinkling (cow dung + cow urine) mixture whenever there is heavy dead mulch available.
Traditionally, the goats / sheeps are allowed to stay overnight in the land so that the excreta that falls from them will improve the soil and this method is employed even today.
Soil carried by Wind
We need to implement Wind Breakers to control this and this has to be done in a V shape model.
The plants selected should have many branches and it should be thick (like Glyricidia) and should not have only one stem like coconut.
During the summer, we can go for short term crops to ensure that the top soil is covered and hence cannot be carried by wind.
Soil carried by Water
Water should not flow very fast and this is also one of the reasons for losing the top soil and the nutrients along with it.
Where water flows very fast, it should be made to walk. Create trenches along the gradient of the slope or every 25 or 50 feet to ensure that the speed of the water is reduced considerably.
Where water walks, it should be made to crawl. If the land is occupied by grasses or other crops, it will make the water slow down to a considerable extent.
Where water crawls, it should be made to stop. This can be a storage pit or tank or pond.
Compactness or Hardness
The Compactness or Hardness of the soil is done by humans by walking, heavy cattle grazing, heavy machinery, long term non-usage of the land etc.
Heavy machinery should never be used when the land is very wet. By Heavy Machinery, I mean tractors, harvesting machines etc.
The above are some of the ways we can sustain or improve the soil.
As we all know, the Soil is the base for any agricultural activity. In this blog, we will discuss ways and means to improve the soil.
The details given below are for both "unused barren land" and "land in use" as well as for land which needs to be moved from chemical farming to organic farming.
Land Improvement - Method 1
The following 5 types of Seeds are required and their quantities are mentioned as well for 1 Acre. Overall, you require 4+4+4+4.25+1.75 = 22 Kgs of seeds per acre.
Pasunthaal (Green Manure Seeds) - 4 Kgs
Sanappu (Sunhemp) - 1Kg
Thakkaipoondu (Daincha) - 1 Kg
Avuri (Indigo) - 1 Kg
Sesbania (Sesbania) - 1 Kg
Siruthaaniam (Millet Seeds) - 4 Kgs
Cholam (Cholam) - 1 Kg
Cumbu (Spiked Millet) - 1 Kg
Kelvaragu (Ragi) - 1 Kg
Samai (Samai) - 1 Kg
Payaru (Cereal Seeds) - 4 Kgs
Ulundu (Blackgram) - 1 Kg
Pacchapayaru (Greengram) - 1 Kg
Karamani (Cowpea) - 1 Kg
Thuvarai (Redgram) - 1 Kg
Ennai (Oil Seeds) - 4.25 Kgs
Verkkadalai (Groundnut) - 2 Kg
Ell (Gingely) - 0.25 Kg
Amanakku (Castor) - 1 Kg
Soya Mochai (Soya Beans) - 1 Kg
Vaasanai (Perfume Seeds) - 1.75 Kgs
Thaniya (Coriander) - 1 Kg
Kadukku (Mustard) - 0.25 Kg
Venthayam (Fenugreek) - 0.25 Kg
Sombhu (Jeera) - 0.25 Kg
The land has to be tilled for 1 or 2 times before the seeds are broadcasted.
The above 20 seeds mentioned need to be mixed thoroughly and broadcasted by hand.
Just before flowering of the crops(in 3 months time), the crops need to be dealt in two different ways.
If the land is slushy, the entire crops need to be tilled again so that the crops as well as the soil are mixed throughly and allowed to decompose.
If the land is not slusy, the entire crops need to be cut at the base and allowed to decompose in the soil.
Mostly these needs to be done before the main crop is grown or if you are not growing any main crop and just for soil improvement, it is better to do this during the rainy season.
Land Improvement - Method 2
Normally, most of the villages will have temples / mosques and along with them they will have ponds, tanks etc which stores water and which is used for the temple as well as for the common use. Even if there are not any temples around, definitely there will be ponds, tanks or other sources of water storage. This is an excellent source of nutrient rich soil as most of the water that arrives in this place carry with them the top soil from many places and depoit them here.
With the permission from the temple or local body, collected not more than 15-30 cms of top soil from the pond, tank etc. By doing this, you will allow the water storage structure to retain more water.
Spread the top soil collected from the ponds, tanks etc in your farm to improve your soil.
The top soil need to be taken out only after sufficient amount of top soil has been collected in the ponds, tanks etc.
Fish Farming - An Introduction to Polyculture in Carp Varieties of Fishes
In this blog, we will be the seeing the basics of Fish Farming related to the Carp Varieties.
The entire blog will be presented in a Question & Answer format. While it will be beneficial for the first time user to read the entire blog, the frequent users of this blog can just focus on their specific needs.
The following assumptions have been made and hence those will not be discussed here:-
The soil has been tested for water holding capability
The pH has been stabilised between 7.5 and 8.5 range
The pond have been excavated
The water is available throughout the year or at least for 6 months period
What is the minimum area required for fish farming?
Even a Cent (435.6 Sq Ft) can be utilized for fish farming. But, the more the better, as fishes tend grow well in large areas
What should be the shape of the pond?
Even though any shape is okay, a rectangular shape is preferred for easy harvesting
What should be the direction of the pond?
Other than Square or Round ponds, all the ponds should be in the East-to-West direction
The basic requirement is that there should not be any shadow falling in the pond, as the shadow will minimize or reduce the growth of the natural feed in the pond
Reason 1:For the growth of natural feed in the pond, the sun rays are required to fall in the pond and hence the pond should be excavated as explained above
What is the optimal depth of the water in the pond?
Min : 3 ft of water depth
Max : 5 ft of water depth
Reason1 : The sun rays will fall into the water up to a certain depth only and the sun rays are required for producing natural feed
Reason 2 : During harvest, it will be easy for people to get into the pond and catch the fishes
How many ponds need to be created for fish farming?
It is always suggested to have multiple ponds
Reason 1 : You can grow different varieties of fishes in different ponds
Reason 2 : You can grow fishes of the same variety in multiple ponds but with varying ages for marketing purposes
How many fishes can be grown in 1 Acre?
3000 fishes can be grown in 1 Acre
What is the optimal size of fingerlings?
3 to 5inches or 10-15 cms size is suggested for fingerlings
Reason 1: For reducing the mortality of the fishes, it is suggested to buy reasonable size of fingerlings
Reason 2: Choosing a bigger size fingerling will help us to get multiple season harvest (Two Crops in One Year)
What are the varieties of Carps that can be grown in the same pond?
Catla
Zooplankton feeder
Surface feeder
Rohu
Omnivorous
Column feeder
Mrigal
Detritivorous
Bottom feeder
Silver Carp
Phytoplankton feeder
Surface feeder
Grass Carp
Herbivorous
Surface, column & marginal areas
Common Carp
Detritivorous/Omnivorous
Bottom feeder
What is the suggested % of Carp varieties in the same pond?
The following % of carp varieties should be kept as a guideline and can be changed based on the local requirements and needs
Species
3-species
4-species
6-species
Catla
4.0
3.0
1.5
Rohu
3.0
3.0
2.0
Mrigal
3.0
2.0
1.5
Silver Carp
-
-
1.5
Grass Carp
-
-
1.5
Common Carp
-
2.0
2.0
What is the need for growing polyculture fish instead of monoculture fish in the same pond?
Instead of growing monoculture fish in a pond, it is suggested to grow polyculture fish for the reasons given below.
Reason 1: If we grow a single variety of fish, it will feed only on a specific variety of organism and also utilize only a portion of the pond.
Reason 2: If we grow multiple varieties of fishes, the different varieties of the carps feed on the different organisms which grow in different depth of the pond and hence utilization of the available infrastructure is maximized
What is the period of availability of fingerlings?
The fingerlings are available during Jul-Jan period
What is the optimal time to stock the fingerlings?
Nov or Oct is the best time to stock the fingerlings in the pond
What is the right time to release the fingerlings in the pond?
Should be done After sunrise or Before sunset
Early mornings or Late evenings is a better option
Reason 1: The temperature of the water should be (made) equivalent to the temperate in the plastic bag which contains the fingerlings
What is the initial manures that need to be put before introducing the fingerlings?
Initially, 1000 Kgs of Fresh Cow Dung or equivalent should be put in to enable natural feed to grow for 1 Acre.
What is the optimal time to introduce the fingerlings in the ponds?
Before introducing the fingerlings in the pond, the pond should have enough feed for the fingerlings. The best indication is a thin layer of light green floating in the surface of the water. It takes 15 days (for the first time) to grow.
What are the different types of feed that can be given to the Carps?
The following are some of the feeds that can be provided to the Carp fishes:-
Fresh Cow Dung (3-5 Cows Required per Acre)
Fresh Goat Manure
Fresh Chicken Manure (70-100 Country Chickens Required per Acre)
Fresh Pig Manure (12 Pigs Required per Acre)
Fresh Duck Manure (100 Ducks Required per Acre)
Compost
Daily Cleaning Water of Shed (Dairy)
Groundnut Cake
Coconut Cake
Rice Bran
Wheat Husk
Tender Banana Leaves
Indian Coral Tree (Kalyana Murungai)
Sesbania grandiflora (Agathi)
Subabul
Andrographis paniculata (Siriya Nangai)
Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Azolla
Glyricidia
Thespesia Populnea
Leafy Vegetables (Grass Carp Only)
CO4 (Grass Carp Only)
Guinea Grass (Grass Carp Only)
Velam Paasi (Grass Carp Only)
Napier Grass (Grass Carp Only)
Alfalfa (Kuthirai Masal) (Grass Carp Only)
When to feed?
The feed should be provided to the fishes at the same time everyday
Where to feed?
The feed should be provided to the fishes at the same place everyday
How much to feed?
Usually, the following can be used as a general rule
Number of Fishes X Weight of Fish in Gms/100 = Quantity of Feed in Gms
How many times to feed?
It is preferred to feed daily once or at the most twice in a day
What time to feed?
It is suggested to feed in the early mornings
What is the Avg weight of fishes in 1 Yr period?
Catla
1-1.5 Kgs
Rohu
1 Kg
Mrigal
1 Kg
Silver Carp
1 Kg
Grass Carp
1 Kg
Common Carp
1 Kg
What is the harvest period?
Starting from the 6th month onwards, the harvest can begin and the harvest needs to be completed by 1 year
Reason 1: The growth rate is very fast during the first 6 months and will reach its maximum (fast) growth by 1 year
Reason 2: The growth rate from the 2nd year will be very slow
What is the expected harvest in Kgs?
1500 Kgs to 1750 Kgs is the expected harvest per year for 1 Acre
What is the right time to release the fingerlings in the pond?
Late evenings is a better option
Reason 1: The temperature of the water should be (made) equivalent to the temperate in the plastic bag which contains the fingerlings
What are the materials that are required for fish farming?
Drag Net
Fish Net for capturing few fishes for weighing purposes
Weighing Machine
What are the diseases that may occur in fish farming?
Generally, the diseases wont occur if we maintain the stock density properly and the water quality in the right way
References : TNAU & Others
For gaining more information on Fish Farming, the following can be of great use to the readers.
