2016 Year of Change: Follow scientific farming'

Thiruvananthapuram: Any cultivation, be it paddy or organic vegetable, has to be scientific. But keep production costs low so that farmers find it remunerative and are motivated to increase production. Check land conversion and pool additional land thus made available for paddy cultivation.

For ages, paddy farmers have been ruing farmhand shortage. Now a major chunk of work is done by machines, resolving the issue of labour shortage. It is an opportunity. Combined efforts of labour and machinery are in evidence in Palakkad and Kuttanad. Machines do all allied work and fill sacks with rice and farmers load trucks with grains.

I have been demanding royalty for farmers who own wetland paddy. This will motivate them to come out with more ecological yields. Wetland paddy is always equivalent to evergreen forest. The Government incentivizes farmers who own upland paddy, which is actually of no use. Upland paddy production is far and few, weeding is more; it involves more labour and lesser yield. Removing potassium from paddy fields should be a priority. For one ton paddy, 33 kg potassium has to be removed as pests and diseases proliferate.

In organic farming, LDF Government’s policy is to increase the area from 29, 000 ha to 50,000 ha will not be viable. Fully organic gives lot of greenery but not the expected yield. Unfortunately organic farming has been glorified by the media and the people alike.

When pests interfere with organic vegetable farming the stark reality will dawn on farmers. There should be areas in Kerala where organic vegetable farming should be focused. Agrotourism and farming should be increased in places like Idukki and Wayanad without compromising on incomes of farmers.

The area for three perennial crops-mango, rambutan and rubber -has to increase and it doesn’t matter whether it has to be completely organic as we are prone to adding fertilizers to mango trees. Also in places like Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, high income groups should take up organic vegetable farming. In such areas, Government should take steps to start a chain of outlets for farmers.

(Dr. K. M. Sreekumar, professor of agricultural entomology, College of Agriculture, Kasaragod)