Southern States - Karnataka   

The crop that saw farmers through drought

By Our Staff Correspondent

Bidar Nov. 11. The soyabean crop has seen farmers through drought here with a yield that is twice that of the State average. The crop has become so popular that the area of land where it is grown has increased 115 times in the previous kharif season. This is expected to double from the present 11,500 hectares in 2004.

Soyabean is a new crop in the district. In 2002, the land where it was grown measured a little over 100 hectares. Some farmers in Basavakalyan taluk, who grew soyabean, sold their produce at a good price at the markets in Latur and Udgir of the neighbouring Maharashtra. Word spread that soyabean cultivation was profitable as the crop did not need much water and it had an expanding market.

Many farmers tried to replicate the Basavkalyan experiment and approached the Agriculture Department for seeds and inputs. "Since more and more farmers wanted to grow soyabean, we had to place special orders for seeds with the Karnataka Oilseeds Federation,'' Aman Shakaib, Joint Director of Sericulture told The Hindu.

Farmers have realised that the crop is best suited to the climate of the district and it is resistant to more pests and disease than other crops. The produce has an assured market. Some soya products companies have offered to buy the produce at the farm gates. Mr. Shakaib said this had encouraged many farmers to grow this crop.

According to sources, the average yield from the crop is seven quintals an acre in the district, whereas the State average is three to four quintals an acre.

The sources pointed out that the price of soyabean at 1,300 a quintal was more than that of the traditional crops of the district such as green gram and black gram.

"Farmers had a tough time selling these pulses as their prices ranged from as low as Rs. 950 to Rs. 1,100 a quintal,'' a senior official said.

The zilla panchayat adopted a motion last Friday, thanking the Agriculture Department for saving the farmers from drought by encouraging growing of soyabean. The panchayat resolved that in the next kharif season, orders would be placed with the Government for double the amount of seeds bought last year.

If as many farmers cultivate the crop as the panchayat hopes, then Bidar will surpass Belgaum as the largest producer of soyabean in the State.

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