Dhenkanal: After mango, sweet potato farming has become a craze of sorts among farmers of hilly regions under Sadar block in the district as it has contributed significantly to the growth of their economic status in last two years, a report said.
The demand of mango produced in Dhenkanal has been on rise in national and international markets over the years. However, farmers earn handsomely by raising Kanjangarh sweet potato, a variety developed in Kerala, on over 800 hectares in the district.
Since 2014-15, about 4 tonnes of sweet potato are being transported to Puri Srimandir in every eight day’s interval for preparation of Mahaprasad, agriculture officials said.
The department, under Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, had started encouraging farmers of hilly regions under Shankarpur panchayat in Sadar block to take up sweet potato farming during 2013-14.
The villagers took interest and raised the crop on 300 hectares on experimental basis. The horticulture department also chipped in with its inputs for the project’s success. Besides, agriculture scientists of Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh visited the area and certified that the soil is extremely conducive for sweet potato farming which encouraged the local farmers.
Two selected farmers from Dhenkanal also visited a sweet potato research centre in Thiruvanantapuram to acquire firsthand knowledge about the farming for best output. Since then, there was no looking back for farmers.
The cultivation, which commences in kharif season and is harvested in rabi season, began in over 800 hectares in nearby Pamal, Bhangamal, Krushnaprasad, Bhagirathipur, Balyamba, Dheerpatna, Tentulipatna and Ratnapur villages. While the produce is sold at Rs 10 a kg, a farmer harvests about 85 quintals of sweet potato from an acre.
Officials say sweet potato can be used as baby food as it contains nutrients like carotene, vitamin-A and carbohydrates which are essential for growth of children.
Apart from Sri Jagannath Temple, about 30 truckloads of the tuber were sent to Maharashtra in last October and the crops are being regularly sent to Rourkela. Besides, samples of the crop have been sent to a Coimbatore-based laboratory for test as scientists claim that glucose can be prepared from it.
After significant success in Dhenkanal, some planting material has been sent to Koraput and Ganjam on experiment basis, officials said.
Anil Das, assistant agriculture officer, says sweet potato can be used in mid-day-meal programme in schools. A plan in place to set up a glucose processing unit at a cost of Rs10 crore here, he added. This is the second most income-generating crop for farmers after paddy, the officer said.
Meanwhile, seven students of New York-based University of Rochester, who have been in the district for over last two weeks to acquire knowledge on rural development, child rights and women empowerment, visited a farmland to witness the success of sweet potato farming. PNN