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FARM ENTERPRISES
Popular demand: Value addition means mushrooming success
Growing crops is futile without providing value addition
Role model: Using enterprising methods to achieve success in apiculture
Self-help groups come to the rescue of farmers, farm women too
Low investment, high income scheme for women
Kangayam rice mill cluster on track
Popular demand: Value addition means mushrooming success |
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Mr. George Thomas of Kozhikode seen harvesting the mushrooms.
The problems are increasing: labour shortage, spiralling costs of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, difficulty in marketing, and absence of proper guidelines in price fixation for harvested produce. So, farmers are desperate to ensure minimum and sustained income from crops that face these problems in minimal measure. Low investment and good returns seem to be the major considerations for farmers now.It is in this back drop that mushroom cultivation seems to be catching up with many small farmers as it is a “low investment and maximum return crop”.
Remunerative
Mr. George Thomas is a small farmer having about 4.5 acres of land. Though there are a number of crops grown in his field, the desire to experiment with a crop that requires little input, less care, and at the same time gives good returns made him turn to mushroom cultivation.
Today Mr. Gerorge is a model in organic mushroom cultivation and has been conducting training programmes for other interested farmers in the district. Initially he used the spawn of Pleurotes sajor caju. He took a bank loan of Rs.1 lakh from a co-operative bank and constructed a shed.For providing ventilation, four windows were provided on the walls at equal distances. The windows were fitted with fine mosquito nets for preventing entry of insects.
Reducing temperature
The roofing was done with tiles and over it a green shade net was spread. Below the roof (inside), a layer of plaited coconut leaf was installed to further reduce temperature build up in the shed. On the floor, he spread a layer of concrete jelly (of one inch thickness) and sprayed water regularly over it to maintain humidity. About 600 beds were constructed inside the shed.
A second variety called CO2 released by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, is also being grown in hanging baskets inside the shed. Paddy straw is used as the medium for growing all the mushrooms.All the work, such as hot water sterilization of straw, bag filling with sterilized straw, spawning, humidity maintenance in the sheds through water sprays are carried out by his family. At present the harvest is done daily and Mr. George is able to harvest 5 kg of mushrooms every day.
Marketing
How does he market the product? Mr. George said, “The mushrooms are sold in the local market at Rs.100 per kg. I am able to earn Rs.500 a day. I have been able to get a net income of Rs.15,000 in 2006 and Rs. 25,000 in 2007.”
In addition he has also started value addition by converting a portion of the fresh mushrooms into pickles. “My pickles are being exported to U.S and Gulf at Rs.50 per 300gm bottle,” he said.
Brand name
A group of ten farmers have already started marketing under the brand name Ayur mushrooms,” said Dr. T.K. Jacob, Principal Scientist, Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala.
Contact details: Mr. George Thomas, Panackavayal House, Kalangali, Athiodi Post, Koorachund, Kozhikode, Kerala, and Dr. T.K. Jacob, Principal Scientist, Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode, Kerala-673012, e-mail: jacobtk@spices.res.in, phone: 09447539967.
Growing crops is futile without providing value addition |
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Good returns: Women Self-Help Groups being trained in making value added products.
Cultivating is futile without processing and value addition, especially when our farmers are struggling to find ways to increase their income from farms. Local value added agricultural food production is an important strategy to sustain many small and marginal farmers. In addition to generating good returns, value addition can open new marketing channels, create recognition for the farmer, and expand the market season (that is availability of a particular product under value addition can be effected all through the year).
Local economy
Usually, for value addition, some inputs are purchased nearby, local manpower is hired and the finished product is sold in the local market. More importantly, the income generated out of this enterprise keeps circling within the local economy and does not flow outside. Processing facilities established in production and growing areas can render enhanced availability of raw materials at reduced costs and at the same time increase employment to rural people.
Processing centres
Realizing the importance of post harvest processing in rural areas and the problems faced by farmers in achieving the same, researchers at the Post Harvest Technology Centre (PHTC) at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK), Bangalore, have embarked on a project to establish rural Agro-processing Centres to promote processing of agricultural produce locally. According to Dr. B. Ranganna, Professor & Research Engineer of the Centre, the PHTC is a pioneer in the country in establishing agro-processing centres. Over 16 such centres have been established so far in southern Karnataka and a majority of them are located in the production areas. Out of these centres, six are fully managed by women self help groups. Essentially, these centres consist of need-based post harvest processing equipment that address the needs of crops grown in villages. Supported by different funding agencies, these centres are managed by the farmers co-operative societies, village panchayats, youth associations and women self-help groups,” he said.
Profit margin
The equipment for these centres are housed in a building spared by the villagers on a nominal rent. Processing tariffs are levied with a small margin of profit. In addition to providing employment, these centres have been able to generate reasonable profits annually. The groups are trained on the use and operation of processing machines by our experts. For taking up value addition activities, women groups are given hands-on training in various product preparations and marketing specific to their location and crops.
Minimal processing
“These established centres provide processing facilities to farmers at low tariff rates. Also, the women self-help groups are encouraged to use locally available raw material with minimal processing and prepare cereals and food legume blended products that can be consumed by the local people to enhance protein-calorie intake. To initiate value addition activities, select women members in different self help groups are chosen and given intensive training in preparation of value added products from different crop produces.
Raw materials
The choice of the value added products to be manufactured will depend on the availability of raw materials in the area where the processing unit is proposed to be set up and the consumer preference in the neighbouring markets. The market for these products is usually found in the neighbourhood of their own villages.
Contact details: Dr. B. Ranganna, Professor & Research Engineer, Post Harvest Technology Centre, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, email: rangannab@gmail.com, Bangalore 560065, Phone: 080-23330153 extn-345.
Role model: Using enterprising methods to achieve success in apiculture |
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Mr. Sashi Kumar with his branded honey bottles in his lab.
Income generation is important for any agricultural activity. What farmers need is a remunerative income (not minimum income) for their produce, and honeybee rearing fits the slot too well. It has been proven to increase a farmer’s income by 50-60 per cent under favourable conditions. It requires little investment, no land, and is not labour intensive. It is particularly suited as an income-generating activity for women, young people, and the landless.
Production
Though bee rearing is quite prevalent among many farmers in the country, Bihar seems to top the list as it happens to be the largest producer of honey- producing about 21,000 metric tonnes of honey annually, and has about 20,000 bee keepers who are engaged in honey production.
Small start
The story of Mr. Shashi Kumar in Suraheri village, Gaya district, of Bihar is quite different. Starting in a small way by taking a loan of Rs. 10,000 from a local cooperative bank, he set up about 10 bee boxes for rearing Italian bees (Apis mellifera). Today Mr. Sashi, has about 600 bee boxes and earns about Rs. 5,00,000 as net profit per year after meeting all expenses. About 20 persons are presently employed in his farm.
Testing lab
He has also established a honey quality testing laboratory where the produce is tested, processed and packed. His lab is popular among several other honey bee farmers for processing and packaging their product. But why did he choose this line when livestock or poultry could have been a natural choice? Honey bee rearing does not require huge investments, and to rear these bees one does not require vast acres of land or labour.
You can simply keep the bee boxes in your neighbouring fields and gardens and as many people now know that bees are an important source for pollination and in turn increase the yield they do not object to the presence of these boxes in their lands. Initially my father was not receptive to the idea of me starting bee rearing as I had a permanent job in Kolkata. But the ambition to set up my own enterprise and succeed in it made me start this business.
Mr. Shashi underwent training programmes in honey production at the Rajendra Agricultural University in the state and at the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab. In honey production, one has to move the bee boxes for higher production and survival of bees in slack season to different areas.
Marketing
His honey is being marketed under the brand name M/s Shiva Agro-natural Produce Private Ltd, and reputed firms such as Dabur, Kashmir Apiary, and Kalyani Enterprisesrank among his customers. Mr. Shashi has been conferred the ‘Honour Award’ by the Agricultural Produce Export Development Agency (APEDA) and National Bee Board. The State government conferred on him the ‘Kisan Shree’ award for his contribution to honey production and processing. He imparts training to farmers for honey production, processing and packaging on his farm.
Contact details: Mr. Shashi Kumar at Vidyarthi Bhawan, Janakpur, Buniyadganj, Gaya, 823003, Bihar and Dr. R.K.P. Singh, Advisor, State Farmers Commission, Pant Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna, Bihar: 800001, mobile 09431245480, email: rkpsingh2k3@rediffmail.com and kisanayog@gmail.com, phone: 0612- 2206169.
Self-help groups come to the rescue of farmers, farm women too |
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Additional revenue: The women are taught tailoring and embroidery skills in addition to farming operations.
Economic independence becomes important for empowering farmers, especially farm women. “Such an empowerment can be achieved through the formation of women self help groups (SHGs) or farmers’ clubs. “It is not as though those working individually are not secure. What I mean is that instead of working individually, if farmers and women come together to form groups then their output in terms of productivity and remuneration will also increase substantially.”
Getting subsidies
“With so many problems plaguing agriculture today, a farmer stands a good chance of getting subsidies, loans and professional guidance if he joins a group or creates one,” says Dr. Parthasarathy. In addition, these groups are also good stress-busters. In terms of crop failures or other unknown reasons these groups help the farmer to unwind and relieve his mental stress, he emphasises. For example Sadhu Deepthi is the name of an SHG with about 20 farm women (whose husbands are mostly farmers), as its members at Kakkayam village in Kozhikode district.
Most of these women have little formal education and have land holdings from 3 cents to 4 acres. Mr. P.A. Mathew, Programme Coordinator, and Dr. T.K. Jacob, Principal Scientist of IISR, periodically guide these women on vegetable cultivation, fisheries, plant propagation, dairy, piggery, poultry, vermicomposting, preparation of botanical pesticides. The members are taken on exposure tours to successful units.
According to Dr. Parthasarathy, particularly now when our country’s agriculture production is going through a plethora of problems, a lone struggle by an individual farmer may not be noticed.
Financial aid
But if they come together and form a group, then it becomes easy for them to voice their grievances if any. Also, it is becomes easier for banks to extend financial aid to such groups than to a single individual.But merely starting a group does not solve any problem. It boils down to arranging finance for the members to start their own enterprise. The group was initially linked to a co-operative bank for availing loans to start various income generating activities and they are repaid out of the profit gained through several activities of the group,” explains Dr. T.K. Jacob
Minimal interest
Mrs. Daisy Francis, Joint Convener of the group, says: “Many of us had availed loans and have completely repaid the amount from the income that we generated out of our activities. As of now, each member has a share of Rs.5,000 to Rs. 9,000 and any member can avail a loan of up to Rs.30,000 at a very minimal interest and can repay in easy instalments.
All the members cultivate vegetables organically to meet their needs, using vermicompost produced by them. About ten women members started dairy units with two to seven cows. Each member gets a net profit of Rs.100- Rs.140 per day per cow through the sale of milk to the nearby milk co-operative society. They also earn Rs.2000 to Rs. 14,000 through the sale of cow dung in a year. Some of them get an additional income of Rs.5,000-Rs 6,000 through the sale of calves. Four members started a goatary unit, each with 3-7 Tellicherry breed goats, which brings an income from Rs.1,000 to Rs. 9,000 every year for each woman. In addition, the goat’s dung bring them an additional income of Rs 2,400 to Rs. 5,000 per year.
Local resources
Mrs. Sainaba a member says, “The expenditure on each goat is around Rs.100 per year towards medicines and we do not spend any additional amount on feed, as sufficient green fodder is locally available.” Every group member has started a poultry unit with an initial supply of 280 chicks and increased the number of birds to 2,000 in the same year. The women earn up to Rs.11,000 through the sale of eggs and meat in the local market. Two women have started rearing ornamental fishes and have sold them for Rs.4,800 within a year.
Contact details: Mr. P.A. Mathew, Phone: 0496-2662372, e-mail: kvkcalicut@sancharnet.in and Dr. T.K. Jacob, Principal Scientist, e-mail: jacobtk@spices.res.in, mobile: 09447539967.
Low investment, high income scheme for women |
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The self help group members at their
vermicompost manufacturing unit at Kozhikode in Kerala.
Unlike most other vocations, income from agriculture is not always steady. An unsteady market, fluctuating price and adverse climate can adversely affect farmers. Against this backdrop empowerment of farmwomen is very important for strengthening the economic security of the farming community.
No major investment
There are a number of agriculture based enterprises that can be practiced by women, effectively utilizing the leisure time available to them. But it becomes important to select an enterprise which does not require any major investment. A good example is Mrs. Lysamma Baby of Kozhikode district in Kerala and her team of three women who have become successful entrepreneurs in vermiculture technology. All the three women hail from poor families with a land holding of 10-70 cents and had to depend on their husbands’ earnings for all their requirements. Their husbands mainly worked as daily agricultural labourers earning about Rs. 90-100 per day.
Field visits
The women were advised to undergo training in vermicompost technologies and were also taken for field visits to several successful vermicompost units in the district, according to Dr. T.K. Jacob, Training Organiser. Since the members were economically backward, they were asked to form a self-help group (SHG) for availing loan and other subsidies from the local Panchayat institutions. Accordingly a SHG named ‘Nidhi’ was formed.
A project on vermiculture was prepared on their behalf by the scientists, and the local Panchayat provided them with a loan of Rs. 5,000 for starting a vermicompost unit. The members identified a common place in the land of Ms. Lysamma for construction of the unit. The group constructed 4 vermicompost tanks with ant wells around them. The tanks were provided with iron net frames on top to protect the worms from rats, lizards and birds. A temporary thatched shed was also constructed over the tanks to cover and protect the tanks from rains. The scientists gave on-site technical help for the construction of the tanks. The initial culture of earthworm species was supplied by the KVK. Ms. Lysamma, the group leader who owned a single cow and a calf, agreed to supply the required cow dung for the unit. The unit became functional within 3 months.
Waste generation
The group members collected and gathered their own kitchen and farm wastes for the production of the compost. Initially all the members worked together, and then decided to work in rotation. They spent 2-3 hours a day at the unit. The first compost was ready within 60 days of release of the worms into the tank. They got more than 200 kg of compost in the first harvest. The success of the unit was due to low investment and the women could work during their leisure time. The group members also started small-scale cultivation of vegetables, banana etc. in the interspaces of coconut palms in their lands.
Dependence reduced
The members feel that the quality of the vegetables and banana produced utilizing vermicompost is superior and their dependence on the local market for vegetables has greatly reduced. Two members of the group completely brought their land under organic farming applying only vermicompost. The group started selling the excess compost at the rate of Rs. 8 -10 per kg. The local demand for the compost is high and the group is not able to meet the demand.
Bank deposit
Ms. Lysamma says, “We feel proud as we have started generating our own income and presently we now have a deposit of more than Rs. 25,000 in the bank.” The group has so far realized a total income of Rs.53, 514 from vermicompost alone in the past 2 years.
Contact details: Ms. Lysamma Baby, Parambukattil House, Chempanoda Post, Kozhikode, Kerala-673 528, and Dr. T.K. Jacob, Training Organiser, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Peruvannamuzhi Post, Kozhikode, Kerala- 673 528, e-mail: jacobtk@spices.res.in, Phone: 0496-2662372.
Kangayam rice mill cluster on track |
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Forty-nine of the over 100 rice mills have come together to form the cluster Government will contribute between 45 and 75 per cent of the cost as loans and subsidies
The rice mill cluster in Kangayam, the formation of which was announced by the Union Government about six months ago, is now on the anvil. Forty nine of the over 100 rice mills have come together to form the cluster to help expand, improve and standardize rice production in the region, says K.S. Jagadeesan, adviser, Erode District Rice Mills Owners’ Association. “The cluster will have common facilities such as cleaning and drying yards, stores, packing units, a laboratory, training centre and service centre, which otherwise may not be within the reach of rice mills as individual units.”
“With a standardized production technique to ensure uniformity in quality, the cluster will meet one of the buyers’ important expectations.” The cluster, to be registered as a separate company, may compete internationally as well. When the cluster begins functioning, standardization of production and uniformity in quality could enable branding, again an important requirement to compete internationally.
Yet another benefit is the capacity to undertake large orders. “Execution of orders of even one lakh tonnes of paddy will not be a problem once the cluster starts production,” Mr. Jagadeesan says. The average processing capacity of each mill is now about 13 tonnes of paddy a day. The mills buy paddy from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and sell the rice in Tamil Nadu.
To develop the cluster, the government will contribute between 45 and 75 per cent of the cost as loans and subsidies under different heads. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises-Development Institute under the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises is coordinating its formation. Rice mill clusters are set to come up also in Arani, Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai.
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