Strawberry brings smile

Tathya.in, Jan 9, 2009
Lanjigarh:9/January/2009

Farmers around Lanjigarh have another reason to smile.

They are not ordinary farmers producing traditional crops.

Along with Vedanta they have sweetened up their lives by producing strawberries in their fields, probably for the first time in Orissa.

A total of 13 farmers have successfully grown strawberries in Lanjigarh area.

Vedanta Aluminium, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives provided technical assistance, training, guidance and agricultural inputs like seeds, organic manure, training etc.

Around 70,000 runners were planted in 3.5 acres of land.

The CSR team of Vedanta carried out regular monitoring and supervision of the field for better yield and production.

This not only helped in producing a good harvest but also built confidence among the farmers.

Dr.Mukesh Kumar Chief Operating Officer (COO), Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), feels that “this will help in enhancing the economic condition of farmers in our peripheral villages and fulfilling our commitment to improve the quality of life at Lanjigarh”.

“After the success of the pilot project, strawberry cultivation shall be extended to other villages, covering more number of farmers”, Dr. Kumar added.

The runners developed by the end of November and during the first week of December, it started bearing flowers.

In no time the sweet fruit of hard labor of the farmers bore and ripened in the shape of strawberry by the end of December.

However, it took great time to convince farmers to grow strawberry in a state like Orissa.

The first reaction on hearing the project proposal was completely negative and the farmers showed their unwillingness to take up the project.

The CSR team organized training and awareness sessions to convince and educate the farmers about the benefits and feasibility of the project in this area.

“We had never thought about producing Strawberry. With the support of Vedanta we started cultivating strawberry in our field, said Kataru Majhi.

We are really astonished on seeing the fruits of Strawberry grown by us.

Majhi of Rengopali villages said that still we cannot believe our own eyes.

Now, other farmers are coming to see our fields and the sweet fruit.

We are very happy for having taken up strawberry cultivation”, bemoned he.

Strawberry, being a cash crop, the profit earned from it is much higher than that of their regular produce.

The red fleshy fruit also has a huge commercial viability, based on its demand in the market.

It has increased the present earnings of farmers by Rs. 50000 – 75000 per acre.

“The farmers could see the shift in their production and earning pattern, said Dr.Kumar.

Vedanta is linking up the products with different markets that are commercially viable.

It is in the process of negotiation with some of the leading super markets and hotels to sell the produce.

The first harvest created curiosity among the farmers in the area.

More and more number of farmers are now showing interest to grow this cash crop.

Besides strawberry cultivation, VAL is promoting cultivation of different commercial vegetables under its Sashya Shilpa Abhijan Project.

The project has been successful in introducing new cash crops in the area, besides the traditional cropping pattern.

It has also increased the household income of the farmers and has become a new means to livelihood for the people in this area.