Padmapur: Subash Patel is a successful mango farmer of Sativati village under Padmapur block in Bargarh district.
He has started this business after taking retirement from the Electricity department as a lineman. Subash, who inherited a three-acre land from his father, said, “After my retirement I decided that I will cultivate mango in my land as it is known as the king of fruits in our country.” He started with 40 mango trees in his field. As there was no irrigation facility in his land, he had to dig two deep bore wells.
Now, the number of trees in his farm has reached more than a hundred. Varieties of mangoes like Dussehri, Mallika, Baiganpalai and Amrapalli are enhancing the beauty of his mango garden.
According to Subash, Agricultural department’s Tejaraj Patel had prompted him to get into mango business. Now his turnover is more than Rs 80,000 per year. The extinct varieties of mangoes like Kiaal and Bahada are also part of his mango cultivation.
Touching on some of the challenges he faces in his line of work, Subash said farmers find it difficult to bring their produce to various places due to poor road network.
He also lamented the collapse of the transportation facilities. He said this has forced him to sell his produce mostly to ready-to-buy bulk buyers.
“The biggest problem the mango farmers as well as the other farmers in their areas are facing is they don’t have enough storage sheds. Those that exist are mostly not refrigerated and there are few processing plants too,” he said.
He said he has been pressing the Horticulture department of the block for a proper cold storage. But there is no result.
Subash said if the government makes proper arrangements for the sale and storage of the farmers’ products, not only the mango farmers of this area but also the other farmers will be benefited.
PNN
