Potatoes help farmers of Thunki Khalsa script a success story in agriculture

Farmers started cultivating the crop some three decades ago. The farmers earn from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh as profit by cultivating the crop

Siddipet: Potatoes might be made fun of by many, but they are behind success stories of farmers of Thunki Khalsa in Wargal mandal, who have been reaping rich benefits by cultivating potatoes. Some of them are even earning profits of Rs.1/5 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh.

The farmers of this village had started cultivating the crop some three decades ago.

---

The farmers earn from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh as profit by cultivating the crop. With the cultivation of short-duration crops like potato and maize, the farmers find enough time to cultivate a third crop in a single year to enhance their income besides rotating the crop.

The farmers of Thunki Khalsa cultivate maize or sweet corn as a Vanakalam crop in June and July.

After harvesting the crop in October, they sow potatoes in October and November by borrowing the seed from Agra. The farmers borrowed three loads of potato seeds this year, which was sufficient to sow in 150 acres.

They will harvest the entire potato by the end of January and cultivate various vegetable crops such as cucumber, bottle guard and others post Sankranthi.

The cultivation of the crops was helping enrich the soil health as they switched from one crop to another in a year besides earning healthy profits.

Speaking to Telangana Today, farmer Bingi Narsimhulu said they would earn Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh as profit by cultivating these three crops annually.

Social activist and government teacher, Puli Raju, who has been working on farmers’ suicides, observed that such innovative and profitable farming practices would bring down farmer suicides in the State.

Raju, who visited the farm of Narasimhulu recently, lauded their efforts as they were reaping rich benefits in agriculture. The social activist urged the government to encourage such models in other villages besides extending support such as the distribution of subsidised drip systems and other implements to farmers.

Horticulture officer Dharemandar said the farmers of Menajipet had also started cultivating the potato as a second crop drawing inspiration from the success of Thunki Khalsa farmers. Dharmendar said these farmers would sell their produce in Vantimamidi and Bowenpally vegetable markets.