Saurashtra farmers turn to organic farming

Farmers claim big cut in production cost.

Around 35 farmers from Amreli, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Porbandar and Rajkot districts of Saurashtra have been into organic farming from 2004.

What's surprising is that these small farmers have not only reaped good results but their crop yield has also gone up. The organic farming method adopted by these farmers is unique as these farmers are using cow dung and cow urine to replace chemical-based fertiliser and pesticides.

The farmers claim that through this method they have substantially reduced the production cost and the lost productivity of the land has been regained through this method. The experiment was started by Mansukh Suvagiya, a Rajkot-based farmer, who is heading a movement called Gir Gaay Bachaao Aandolan (Save the Gir Cow).

As part of the movement, he started creating awareness among farmers on the scientific benefits of organic farming using bio-waste (dung and urine) of Gir cows as fertiliser and pesticides.

In 2004, a farmer of Junagadh's Jamaka village started organic farming using this method. At present there are 35 farmers practicing organic farming in over 100 hectares of land.

Talking to Business Standard, Mansukh Suvagiya said, "There are 35 farmers in districts like Amreli, Jamanagar, Junagadh, Porbandar and Rajkot who have stopped using chemical fertiliser and pesticides and are getting good results. The spread of this organic farming is over 100 hectares."

On the results, he said, "They take agriculture crops like groundnuts, wheat, tur, garlic, chilly, sugarcane and horticulture crops like papaya and tomatoes. Before the experiment, the productivity of the land was lower than irs real potential. These farmers are seeing a good production from the same land ever since the experiment began. Farmers are cultivating groundnut on 100 hectares and the output is 20-30 quintals per hectare, while wheat is cultivated on some 50 hectares every year and the per hectare output of wheat is 42-62 quintals. Garlic is cultivated on around five hectares and the farmers get 100-110 quintals per hectare. Sugarcane production has gone up to 1,400 quintals per hectare."

"The production of coriander seeds has increased up to 16 quintals per hectare in this experiment. The farmers also take crops like tur dal, chilli and carrots."

On the production cost reduction through this method, he said, "Take the example of chilli. A local farmer had harvested Rs 1 lakh worth of green chilli last year and the production cost was just Rs 10,000. According to government estimates, in normal farming the production cost is around 40-60 per cent of the total worth of the crop. While in our method of farming this cost is as small as 20-30 per cent of the total value of the crop."

On the advantages of the cow's bio-waste based organic farming experiment, he said, "The land which had lost its fertility regained it. Moreover, the method of farming saves 25-30 per cent of water as compared to the normal farming methods. The crop retains its natural flavour and it lasts long without the use of preservatives. Take for example tomatoes, we keep tomatoes stored for 12-20 days and the fruits were as good as fresh after all this while Normally, garlic can be stored for 8-9 months but the garlic grown through the method can remain green for as long as one year."

Instead of using chemical fertiliser Suvagiya and other farmers have been using a mixture of cow dung, castor seed oil cakes and cow urine. While cow urine is mixed with other ingredients like neem leaves, ankada (a local weed) and custard apple leaves.

"The liquid is sprayed like the usual pesticides and it gives equally good protection like any chemical-based pesticides, " says Suvagia and adds that more an more farmers are realizing the virtues of traditional farming methods and are returning to old methods of farming.