Rasulpur: The state government has taken up a host of measures to augment income generation of farmers in the state. In a related development, the horticulture department has encouraged farmers to take up fruit farming in Rasulpur block of Jajpur district.
In 2021-22 fiscal, the department has set a target to promote fruit farming in 10 acres of land. The department said, though fruit farming is a long-term business, it is lucrative for farmers.
“Guava has a good demand in the market. I have taken up guava farming on two acres,” said Rabindra Das, a farmer of Karanjaiari of Odisho panchayat.
The horticulture department has provided assistance to Rabindra Das for fruit farming under MGNREGS. This was stated by agriculture extension officer Prabhas Ranjan Mallick.
As per a plan, coconut saplings will be planted along the borders of farmland while guava saplings were planted inside with equal distance.
In the initial stage, Das had planted 220 guava saplings, 50 coconut saplings and 20 hybrid berry saplings on his farmland. It is said that guava will be harvested in three years.
Rs 1.80 lakh will be provided to farmers for maintenance, fertilizers, medicines and other expenses. Such assistance will be provided to the farmers for two years.
The farmers can grow vegetables as inter-crops for at least two years.
Sarpanch Nilam Mallick, Udyan Sathi Surendra Sahu and Sanjay Parida observed farmers can augment their income through fruit farming with the help of government assistance. More farmers in the area are expected to take up fruit farming in coming days, they said.
PNN