Lucknow, Mar 23(KNS): Emphasising the need to treat farming as a business, Ram Saran Verma said crop diversification, scientific practices and alignment with local climate are essential to enhance farmers’ income and reduce risks.
Speaking to KNS in Lucknow, Verma said successful farmers are those who “learn from their fields and plants” and adapt agriculture to their land and natural conditions. He said traditional dependence on crops like wheat and rice offers limited returns compared to high-value crops.
“A farmer can earn Rs 2-4 lakh per acre from bananas, while wheat and rice hardly fetch Rs 20,000-30,000,” he said, stressing that agriculture should be approached as an “agricultural business” rather than subsistence farming.
He highlighted the importance of following crop cycles to safeguard against natural uncertainties and improve productivity. “If farming is done according to the crop cycle, yield increases and risks from natural disasters reduce,” he said.
Citing his own experience, Verma said adopting simple techniques like staking in tomato cultivation significantly improved output. “Our tomato yield increased from 200 quintals to 400 quintals after using staking,” he said.
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He said his farm currently cultivates bananas across 70–80 acres and potatoes over 150 acres, alongside other crops such as tomatoes and watermelons. He also stressed the importance of crop variety, noting that different potato types fetch different prices in the market.
On banana cultivation, Verma said he adopted the practice after learning about its profitability in the late 1980s and experimenting in Maharashtra before implementing it in Uttar Pradesh. He said selecting the right planting window—between June 15 and July 15—was crucial for success.
He added that Uttar Pradesh has a ready market for bananas, with a significant portion still sourced from outside the state, providing an opportunity for local farmers.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, Verma said farmers should focus on crops suited to colder climates. “Farmers must select crops according to their region’s climate to achieve higher yield with lower cost,” he said, suggesting crops like apples and strawberries for better returns.
He reiterated that diversification and scientific planning are key to sustainable and profitable agriculture across India.(KNS).