Friday, October 16, 2015

Bathukamma boost marigold farming

The input subsidy by the government coupled with the prominence to the Bathukamma festival where flowers are extensively used, have boosted cultivation of marigold in Adilabad district of Telangana.

The vibrantly hued and considerably large sized flowers of marigold make it the most preferred while decorating ‘Bathukamma’ and this has created demand for its cultivation.

Apart from ‘tangedu’ and gunugu  flowe, women used marigold in the floral arrangement. The Bathukamma festival has gained much importance after carving out of separate Telangana.  

To encourage farmers grow flowers, the horticulture department has been giving subsidy to the farmers cultivating marigold, jasmine and other varieties and as expected , many peasants opted for them as there is good profit. Marigold is a four-month crop involving very less risk.     

Assistant director, Agriculture dept, Adilabad Mohd Sattar said there is high demand for flowers these days as use of flowers has increased many times in day today life and on every occasion like Diwali, Dassara, Ayyappa and Bathukamma celebrations.
‘The rise in demand for marigold has increased due to the increasing popularity of Bathukamma festival’.

Earlier, the cultivation of these flowers was just confined to surrounding Hyderabad but now it has spread to all other districts in the state as farmers are getting remunerative prices’, Mr Sattar said.

According to official sources, the cultivation area of marigold has increased to nearly 300 acres this season from 60 acres earlier.  Marigold is prominent grown in Bhainsa, Gudihatnoor, Luxettipet, Tanoor, Adilabad, Nirmal, Ichoda, Kagaznagar areas in the district.  The total cultivation area of all flowers put together is 600 acres in the Adilabad district.

Boora Pocham, a farmers of Raspalli village in Kagaznagar mandal, said he cultivated marigold in 2.5 acre, this season, of the totally seven acres he totally owned in view of the high demand for those flowers.

Nearly 15 farmers are cultivating flowers, especially marigold, in the Sirpur (T) Assembly constituency following the encouragement from MLA Koneru Konappa.
Horticulture department is giving special subsidy for cultivation of flowers to meet the local demand and to encourage farmers to go for cross cultivation.

Marigold is priced between Rs 50-70 a kg and during the peak season, it even touches the Rs 200 a kg mark. Cultivation of flowers has increased in Bhainsa, Gudihatnoor, Luxettipet, Tanoor, Adilabad, Nirmal, Ichoda, Kagaznagar areas in the district.


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