Nirmal’s Udumpur village sets trend for cash crops

This nondescript village in Kaddampeddur or Kadem mandal is showing the way for farmers on how shifting to cash crops can be beneficial

Nirmal: Udumpur, a remote village surrounded by dense forests, is making some noise, but not because of its scenic beauty. Maize fields around the village are drawing visitors and motorists on the Jannaram-Utnoor-Adilabad road in large numbers throughout the year. Everyone who uses the stretch is enticed to take a glimpse of the lush green fields and to taste roasted corn cobs by halting for a brief period.

In the process, this nondescript village in Kaddampeddur or Kadem mandal is showing the way for farmers on how shifting to cash crops can be beneficial. About 300 farmers are now cultivating the crop in around 400 acres, not just once, but thrice a year. And they are raking in profits as well, with every farmer in the settlement raising the crop at least in an acre.

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“It was some 20 years ago that a few farmers ventured into growing the maize crop. But, a majority of farmers are now cultivating the commercial crop apart from the staple paddy, cotton and red gram. Many are showing interest to go for maize considering profits of Rs.50,000 per acre,” Kasaveni Rajanna, one of pioneers among the maize growers told ‘Telangana Today.’

Maize crop is grown thrice in a year

Local farmers said they were growing the hybrid seed, which enables them to go for the crop thrice a year as the duration of the crop is around 100 days.

They claimed that the produce was sold before completion of three months following heavy demand for the corn from traders of Utnoor, Kaddam, Jannaram and other parts of erstwhile Adilabad district. The farmers are successfully raising the water-fed crop depending on rainwater, wells and bore-wells.

Meanwhile, some local women are also earning a livelihood by selling roasted corn cobs to motorists.
“I sell at least 100 cobs to passengers of TSRTC buses and motorists a day. I earn around Rs.500 per day, which is much higher than what I used to earn while picking up cotton balls,” Bujjakka, a roadside vendor, said. She erected a hut on a roadside and uses fire and wood charcoal to roast the cobs.

Around 20 women are depending on selling on the cobs and helping their families with their income.