Anantapur : Love for organic farming boosts profit margins for this farmer

Anantapur : Even when the farmers of Obulanayanapalee village were facing severe losses in agriculture, Maruthi Naidu, an arts graduate from the same village took up the organic farming and earned profits in his 9 acre land by cultivating tomato, sweetlime, groundnut, chilli, watermelon, muskmelon and Pomegranate.

Despite the losses incurred by his father in the conventional chemical farming, he proceeded with organic farming at a time when agriculture itself was viewed as 'not a profitable proposition'.

Speaking to The Hans India, Naidu said that he first studied the farming methods and principles of Padmashree Subash Palekar and fell in love with organic farming. Naidu added that he attended the seminars convened by Palekar and Ravishankar and was inspired by their concepts of natural farming.

Naidu said that during 2020-21, he earned an annual profit of Rs 18 lakh on his multi-crop produce using organic fertilisers in his 9 acres land.

He explained, "I never felt that agriculture as hard physical task, as I feel the love for nature every time, I touch the soil, leaves, fruits and everything from nature. Organic farming runs on four wheels which are Jeevamrutham, Ghana jeevamrutham, Beejamrutham and Acchadhakam, which are bio stimulants prepared from cow dung, cow urine, jaggery powder and other agricultural by-products.

My investment on inputs is reduced, as I prepare most of them myself naturally, which boosts my income. Right from nursery preparation to harvest, I enjoyed every step of it. All four of us in my family, including my two daughters, cheerfully work in the field.

The farming is a holistic spiritual activity which fills us with so much joy and contentment. I believe in producing quality products, not merely increasing the quantity of food grain production" an excited Naidu added.

V Bhavya Sree, a final year B Sc student of University of Agriculture, Bengaluru told The Hans India that she is mentoring farmers on organic farming in Obulanayanapalle village and is instrumental in guiding Naidu and his co-farmers and extending advisory support to them as part of her practical and intense interest in natural farming.

Bhavya is engaged in bridging knowledge gap among her contact farmers by soil sampling, seed treatment, seed germination test and farm mechanisation.

The Bengaluru-based university is engaged in educating farmers on organic farming by sending its students to farmers' field and making practical demonstrations on the farming. Naidu is part of the Anantha Naturals Collective founded by Parthasaradhi an IT techie turned natural farmer.