Not paddy-wheat, now these new crops have dominance in Bihar, profit is increasing with these tricks

Bihar Agriculture: Innovations are now being encouraged in the agriculture sector. India, which was once famous all over the world only for the supply of food grains, has today set a new record in the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, medicinal and spices. The country has not reduced the production of paddy, wheat, maize, sugarcane, but horticulture crops are also being promoted with the aim of increasing income. From Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh to hilly areas, the practice of gardening of fruits and vegetables is increasing. Bihar is also not untouched by this change. Earlier the production of paddy and wheat was available from the agriculture sector of Bihar, but now cultivation of mushroom to tea, dragon fruit and strawberry is being promoted in the state. How and whether the farmers are getting more profits from these crops, which techniques are increasing the profits of the farmers of Bihar. You will know the answers to all these questions in this report.

Growing area of ​​horticulture crops
According to media reports, today strawberries are being cultivated in more than 35 acres of land in Aurangabad. And in Kishanganj too, the area under tea has increased to 10,000 acres. In Kishanganj itself, a grant of Rs 40,000 per hectare is being given to increase the area under dragon fruit. Tea cultivation was started in the year 1995 in Kishanganj, Bihar. At the same time, during the year 2012-13, emphasis was laid on increasing the area under strawberry and dragon fruit.

Where is Bihar in agriculture sector
According to a recent report, Bihar has 3.8 percent of the total agricultural area of ​​the country, on which 8.6% of the population depends. Small and marginal farmers have 97% share in the state. Most of the production here is dependent on small holdings. The good thing is that farmers have learned to get maximum production of vegetables and fruits even on small land. As a result of this, today Bihar is fourth in vegetable production and seventh in fruit production. If we look at the national record, 20,000 tonnes of honey is being produced in Bihar, due to which Bihar has also occupied the fourth position in the region.

Dragon fruit cultivation is getting a boost
Today, dragon fruit cultivation is also being promoted in Bihar’s Kishanganj, which is famous for tea cultivation. A grant of Rs 40,000 is being given for growing dragon fruit here. Subsidy is also being provided to the farmers of the state for apple cultivation. Of course, the initial cost in dragon fruit cultivation is high, but within a few years the profit also doubles. By investing about 10 lakh rupees in about 1 acre, you can withdraw the income of lakhs for 25 years. Every year 5 to 6 tons of dragon fruit is produced from 1 acre, which is sold for 5 to 6 lakhs. In this way, within 3 to 4 years, the profit is recovered along with the initial cost.

Technology increased income
Subsidy schemes are being run in Bihar to promote agricultural techniques and mechanization. Farmers are also increasingly taking interest in the purchase of agricultural equipment or instruments. They do not have to run towards the cities for their repairs, that is why now technicians are being prepared in every village. Training is also to be given to 8,400 technicians for repairing agricultural machinery, that is, one technician will be present in every gram panchayat to repair agricultural machinery.

Then why is the income of the farmers not increasing?
In the last few years, new agricultural techniques and machines have played an important role in increasing production and reducing costs, but still the income of farmers has not reached the national average, which is the biggest challenge. If you look at the figures, the production and productivity of crops has almost doubled in Bihar since the last 16-17 years. In the year 2005-06, 34.95 lakh tonnes of rice was produced in 32.52 lakh hectares.

At that time the productivity of rice was 10.75 quintals per hectare i.e. more than double. A record production of 179.52 lakh tonnes of food grains was achieved in the year 2020-21, which has increased to 184 lakh tonnes in the year 2021-22. Meanwhile, 163.11 tonnes of food grains were produced in Bihar in the year 2018-19. Now horticulture is being promoted, whose positive effects are visible.

Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Farmer brothers, before implementing any suggestion, do consult the concerned expert.