Whether it's a smoky baingan bharta or a spicy curry, brinjal remains a household favourite, and now a new variety of the vegetable is turning into a genuine income earner for farmers as well. Tulsi Kashyap, a farmer from Bastar, grows a brinjal variety that keeps yielding for a full year instead of the usual three to four months, and it is bringing him an annual income of 6 to 7 lakh rupees.
A crop that lasts a year, with fewer disease worries
Brinjal crops normally get harvested and finish within three to four months, but this new variety works differently. It keeps producing fruit continuously for up to a year, sparing farmers the trouble of repeated sowing. The variety is also less prone to disease outbreaks compared to other types, which is why brinjal cultivation is increasingly being seen as a profitable venture. Thanks to this variety, farmers are able to earn at least 6 to 7 lakh rupees a year.
Tulsi Kashyap has been growing brinjal for years
Tulsi Kashyap, a farmer in Bastar, has been cultivating brinjal for several years now. He grows the crop on one acre of land, spending around 1 lakh rupees on cultivation while earning 6 to 7 lakh rupees in return. Besides brinjal, Kashyap also grows cucumber and okra on his farm, adding further to his income.
The VNR 212 variety, grown on raised beds using high-tech methods
Kashyap said,
This is the VNR 212 variety of brinjal.He first got the field ploughed once and ran a rotavator over it, after which raised beds were prepared for high-tech cultivation. The distance between one bed and the next is kept at 4.5 feet, while plants are spaced four feet apart from each other. According to Kashyap, high-tech farming brings greater benefit because it results in better production.
DAP, cow dung manure and potash keep the plants strong
To nourish the plants, Kashyap uses DAP, cow dung manure, Micro Raja and potash. He says fungus and insect attacks do appear on this brinjal variety, but far less than on other varieties. Downy mildew and powdery mildew are also occasionally seen on the plants, but timely treatment keeps the crop safe.
1 lakh rupees in cost, 6 to 7 lakh rupees in profit
Growing brinjal on one acre using high-tech methods costs around 1 lakh rupees. Even after recovering this entire cost, farmers are left with a net profit of at least 6 to 7 lakh rupees. With good care, the crop can keep yielding for more than a year. Brinjal is currently selling in the market at 15 to 30 rupees per kilogram.
