Labour shortage prompts Ranipet farmer to innovate in groundnut cultivation

Farmers are struggling after the migration of guest workers back to their states and also because local workers are opting for 100-day work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). It has prompted them to try out new planting methods and use of equipment to raise groundnut crop on small parcels of land

Explaining it, farmer K Raja of Kilpalleri village in Wallajahpet taluk in Ranipet district, said, “Based on my calculation, I might be able to save nearly 50 per cent of the total expenditure of Rs 15,000 per acre by using the new method of sowing.”

He started work under new method by first levelling the three acres where he is going to grow groundnut crop using a broad “saal” which is usually used when planting sugarcane. “Contrary to the usual practice of planting the seeds in small pits, I arranged their broadcasting in furrows that are automatically covered by the seeder instrument.”

He spent Rs 2,400 to hire a tractor to level and furrow the land. Once the seeds are planted, the next work would be weeding, for which a mechanical instrument would be used.

“Normally four to five persons are required to plant the seed in an acre. But I was able to cut down time and expense by opting for the new method,” Raja said.

The major expense is incurred during harvesting after 95 days when about 20 workers have to be employed per acre. “That means using 60 persons (for three acres),” he said. This time, he has readied a harvester which will be able to do the job in three hours. He already has a groundnut de-husker machine that he himself fabricated.

Raja is confident that he would be able to harvest a yield of 20-24 bags, each 40 kg, per acre. “I will be able to get the same yield for the three acres at half the cost,” he said. Once the experiment proves successful, he would pass on the knowledge about the process to other farmers as well so that they too can benefit, Raja added.