High density farming yields good response from Madurai farmers

HDF is increasingly becoming popular among the farmers as it promises high yield in limited area. The horticulture department is also encouraging farmers to undertake HDF and is providing subsidies. 

According to officials of Horticulture Department, the HDF was introduced three years ago and farmers were sensitised to the advantages of this method. Bhoopathy, Deputy Director(Horticulture), said that the method was widely adopted by the farmers as around 400 hectares have come under the HDF at present. “The success of the method has encouraged many who have been practicing conventional farming to shift to the HDF,” he added.

Speaking to DTNext, Subbiah, a farmer from Vappadapu village near Melur in Madurai district, said that he had cultivated ‘Banaras’ variety of guava in his 3.2-hectare farmland. Under this method Banaras guava, which is a 16-month plant, recorded a 70-tonne yield which would not be possible through the conventional method. Since the produce was also organic, he exported them to Sharjah and made a good profit.

Under the conventional farming, there should be a gap of 6 metres between two plants, whereas in HDF method, only 3 metres was required. The plant should be pruned regularly to prevent it from growing more than 5 feet to avoid congestion. Another vital component of HDF is that farmers should use only drip irrigation for which subsidy was available, officials said. 

Similarly, another farmer, Gurusamy of Poonjothi village near Melur, had grown mango trees under Ultra High Density Farming (UHDF). Under conventional farming methods, 

a gap of 10 metres should be left between two mango trees. But in HDF method, a gap of 5 metres was sufficient. Whereas in UDHF method the saplings should be planted in a gap of 2.5 metres. 

Farmer Gurusamy also placed the pipes carrying water for drip irrigation under the earth to avoid them being damaged by rats. Gurusamy too practises organic farming. He had cultivated Sunn Hemp plant close to the mango saplings so that the Sunn Hemp could be used as a natural manure and boost the mango yield. 

This method would also help farmers to achieve good yield even during crisis times like the present drought situation in the State, said officials.

A total of 18,574 hectares of land in Madurai district is under the cultivation of Horticulture crops, said Madurai Collector K Veera Raghav Rao on Wednesday. The Collector said that out of total 18,574 hectares of land under Horticulture cultivation 11,392 hectares is dominated by fruits. Mango cultivation dominates the fruits cultivation with the total cultivated area of 6,730 hectares followed by Banana cultivation with 2,649 hectares. Vegetables are cultivated at 2,566 hectares, followed by flowers including Jasmine at 1,987 hectares. Spices are cultivated at 1,932 hectares; plantation crops are cultivated at 416 hectares and medicinal plants are cultivated at 289 hectares. 

Various schemes are implemented to encourage horticulture such as National Horticulture Mission and Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana. To encourage micro-irrigation technique for horticulture plants Rs.43,200 is distributed to farmers said Collector. Collector also said that the State Horticulture Farms are setup to encourage farmers.