Useful Info

This page would contain useful information about various aspects of cultivation including including farm mechanization, precision farming and anything else I deem useful to know..

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Equipment Cost


First phase of this project was land cleaning. In this step, we used various machines including JCB (to uproot big bushes and rocks), Tractor Tipper (to transport the debris)  and Disc Plough (to loosen the soil and enable solarization). Rates for these machines can differ from place to place but typically Rs 550/hr for JCB, Rs 1300/day for tipper and Rs 450/hr for disc plough is considered reasonable.

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Agricultural Marketing Information Network - AGMARKNET
 http://agmarknet.nic.in/


As a step towards globalisation of agriculture, the Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (OMI) has embarked upon an ICT project: NICNET based Agricultural Marketing Information System Network (AGMARKNET)". Produce Market Committees), State Agricultural marketing Boards / Directorates and OMI regional offices located throughout the country, for effective information exchange on
market prices NIC implements this project on a turn-key basis. This AGMARKNET project has already networked 735 Agricultural Produces Wholesale Markets (APWMs), 75 State Agricultural Marketing Boards/Directorates and DMI Regional Offices.


Advantages :
The advantages of AGMARKNET database accrue to the farmers, as they have choices to sell their produce in the nearest market at remunerative prices. In addition to this, the Country witnesses:

• Nationwidemarket information for wholesale produce
• Project supported by various Departments and State Boards of Agricultural Marketing
• Access mainly through the Internet
• Information dissemination progressively through local languages
• Computer facilities atthe markets
• Software for download - Daily market prices
• Information collected by nodes in the various markets
• Weekly trends
• Information on loans, policies and regulations
• Bypass middlemen

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Melia Dubia - Basic Facts
http://www.worldagroforestry.org/sea/Products/AFDbases/af/asp/SpeciesInfo.asp?SpID=1141
 
This is one of our timber crops and avenue tree at the Sivaganga plantation. Here are a few intestesting facts :

Melia Dubia, well known as Persian lilac, is native to India but is now grown in all the warmer parts of the world; in many of these places it is naturalized. It is widely planted in Nigeria, . This is a deciduous tree up to 45 m tall; bole fluted below when old, up to 30-60 (max. 120) cm in diameter, with a spreading crown and sparsely branched limbs. Bark smooth, greenish-brown when young, turning grey and fissured with age. It flowers from March to May in the northern hemisphere, although some forms flower throughout the summer and even throughout the year.

Uses : 

• Fodder : Leaves are lopped for fodder and are highly nutritious. 
• Fuel: Fuelwood is a major use of Melia Dubia. It has a calorific value is 5100 kcal/kg. 
• Timber: Wood, which resembles mahogany, is used to manufacture agricultural implements, furniture, plywood, boxes, poles, tool handles; it is used in cabinet making and in construction because of its resistance to termites. The density is 510-660 kg/cubic m.   
• Shade or shelter: Widely planted as a shade tree in coffee plantations. 
• Ornamental: A well-known ornamental grown, for example, as an avenue tree, for its scented flowers and shady, spreading crown. 

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Medicinal Herbs

Some of our current readings are listed below. Hope you enjoy them too..

• Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants (ISSN: 1540-3580 (electronic) 1049-6475 (paper) )

Trade journal. Latest information with an academic (not commercial) approach. Articles on cultivation, pest control and produce processing can be very informative. Is not free but you can access some free material of the electronic version.

• The complete natural medicine guide to the 50 most common medicinal herbs By Heather Boon, Michael Smith

Good reference book if you are planning to cultivate medicinal herbs. Lots of practical information on uses, pictures and some information on climate, soil preferences of the crop.

• Aloe Vera: Nature's Silent Healer By Alasdair Barcroft, Audun Myskja

Good reference on Aloe Vera types, cultivation, processing. Limited marketing details.

• Handbook of medicinal herbs By James A. Duke

Interesting read, good to browse and use it as a second source of information. More focused on Homeopathy, etc.

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Conversion of area and length metrics
1 hectare = 2.47 acres
1 hectare = 100m x 100m = 10,000 sq meters
1 acre = 4000 sq meters = 43,560 sq feet
1 meter = 100 cm = 3.28 feet
1 ft = 30 cm = 12 inches

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Fruit Crop Research : Papaya 
Periodically, I'll try to publish information from my research log. Part of a successful agri enterprise is to keep learning and looking for new opportunities. Here are some useful links on Papaya cultivation. We may consider Papaya cultivation in future.


High level metrics** : 

• Avg cost per acre : INR 25k - 40k (initial)
• Avg cost per acre : INR 10-12k (subsequent years)
• Avg gestation for first crop : 7-9 months 
• Productive yield period : 3 years per tree
• Avg yeild per acre : 50 tonnes
• Avg mandi price per quintal : INR 900
• Avg retail price per kg : INR 35-50

Additional revenue streams : Seeds for medicinal use, Raw fruit used in food industry, Tree latex
**Data was collected via online sources and may be outdated based on source. 

Concise technical source of Papaya cultivation process and requirements :

• http://www.pnbkrishi.com/papayatech.htm
• http://nhb.gov.in/Horticulture%20Crops%5CPapaya%5CPapaya1.htm
• http://papaya-cultivation-practices.blogspot.com/2010/06/papaya-cultivation-in-india.html
• http://www.hindu.com/seta/2006/10/12/stories/2006101200831600.htm

Monsanto has developed GM (Genetically modified for pest resistance) Papaya seeds and TNAU is the only Indian organization to collaborate with them for field trials and commercial feasibility.

• http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detarchive.asp?articleid=21975&sectionid=20

GM Papaya crop in Hawaii : Resistant to virus

• http://www.agbioforum.org/v7n12/v7n12a07-gonsalves.htm

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