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Farmers in Gujarat are increasingly turning to natural farming to reduce cultivation costs, improve soil health and enhance their income by processing and marketing their produce.
In Vadod village of Surendranagar district, 70-year-old farmer Kalubhai Patel has been practising cow-based natural farming for nearly 13 years. Along with his son, he cultivates turmeric on four acres using natural inputs, without chemical fertilisers. To increase the value of his produce, Patel processes turmeric into powder and pickles for direct sale. His home-based processing unit, equipped with a steam boiler, polishing machine and pulveriser, was established at a cost of around Rs 5 lakh, of which Rs 2.5 lakh was provided as a subsidy by the Horticulture Department. Patel said he had not used chemical fertilisers on his farm for nearly 13 years and relied entirely on cow-based natural inputs, including jeevamrut and other naturally prepared fertilisers. He added that the government subsidy had helped him establish the processing unit and make better use of his agricultural produce. Patel has also received Best Farmer Awards at the taluka, district and state levels, including recognition from agricultural universities, for his farming practices. His son, Sureshbhai Kalubhai Patel, said their products had received a positive response from consumers, with word-of-mouth publicity and government support helping them reach customers directly. He said the government had facilitated door-to-door marketing opportunities, enabling the family to secure better prices for its produce. The family earns around Rs 2.5 lakh from turmeric cultivation on four acres, he added, noting that natural farming had helped keep production costs low and improve profitability. A study by Gujarat's Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University found that the highest-yielding natural farming treatment produced 40.66 tonnes of fresh turmeric per hectare, compared with 19.3 tonnes under conventional farming. With government assistance for processing infrastructure and market access, farmers in Gujarat are exploring ways to move beyond raw agricultural produce, enhance value addition and strengthen their economic self-reliance. (ANI)
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