The system of root intensification (SRI) has helped farmers increase significantly yield of mustard, experts said today, claiming that extensive use of the technique could bring down the country's growing edible oil import bill.
The technique adopted by some farmers in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand has led to as high as 57 quintal per hectare yield of mustard, said Kavitha Kuruganthi of the Alliance for Sustainable and Holistic Agriculture (ASHA).
Felicita Topno, a farmer from Odisha who adopted SRI technique in her fields to grow mustard alongside potato, radish and pea, shared her experience at a press conference.
"We yielded on an average 31 quintal of mustard per hectare," Topno said.
A deputy director of Madhya Pradesh's Agriculture Department, Rajesh Tripathi, said that the experiment has shown promising results in Umaria and Balaghat districts where it has been adopted by thousands of farmers.
"We invited five farmers who used SRI technique to grow mustard and rice to train farmers. Now, this technique is being practised in 10 districts of the state," he said.
In Umaria, yield of mustard was as high as 57 quintal per hectare, he said.
The SRI technique involves ecological, organic ways to promote root growth by spacing mustard plants through nursery technique.
India imports rapeseed-mustard worth Rs 70,000 crore annually which could be substantially brought down by putting in an effective extension system to promote SRI technique to increase yield in the country, Kuruganti said.
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