Guwahati: Eight members of a Nalbari farmers' club have become trendsetters in the field of agriculture.
Pankaj Kalita, Jayanta Sarmah, Ratul Haloi, Dinesh Rajbongshi, Mukul Goswami, Pranjal Barman, Kamal Haloi and Madhab Kalita - the members of Jyoti Farmers' Club - have successfully cultivated pumpkins on silt-laden land on the bank of Pagladia in Nalbari on an area of 40 hectares with an expected yield of 160 quintals per hectare.
The trial was successful and we are successful till now curving out a different mode of cultivation. Before joining the others members of the club I was doing by it by own on 100-bigha of land. of land out The produce from the early harvesting of pumpkin on silt laden in October measures up to 10 quintal, from harvesting on normal land in January the produce shoot up to 25-30 quintal and it increase in April. We use Arjuna variety pumpkin seeds. 'Arjuna' is tastier than other varieties. Seeds are sown at every distance of 6 feet on the land. from Club member and farmer Pranjal Pumpkins are exported to states like Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram. The excess produce is sent to markets in Guwahati and Kharupetia.
"The pumpkin cultivation on the silt-laden land is generally done in rainy season which cuts irrigation costs. It also boosts farmers' income as the market demand is high and vegetables are scarce at that time of the year. For many years, floods have left silt on these lands. The technology of early planting of pumpkin during July-August in silt-deposited area helps fetch a good market price. Utilising the fallow land of river bank by early planting of pumpkin is an innovative idea," Nalbari Krishi Vigyan Kendra head scientist Mridul Deka said.
The centre taking active part to expand this method among the farmers. Nalbari MLA Ashok Sarmah appreciated the largescale cultivation of pumpkin.
Nalbari Krishi Vigyan Kendra is taking active part for largescale expansion of this method among the farmers of the state.
on the fields of Jyoti Farmers' Club in Nalbari#Ashok Sarmah, Dr. Mridul Deka ,Nalbari DAO H. Kalita along with other officials and scientists were also present.
