Jhumpura: Sunflower cultivation which was taken up on a large scale across this tribal-dominated block of Keonjhar district a few years ago is now on the decline due to lack of proper irrigation facilities and marketing of seeds.
“Unlike paddy cultivation, sunflower does not require much water, but water is necessary to moisturise the soil for a good harvest. However, we do not have proper facility of irrigation for the purpose,” said many farmers including Jagabandhu Mohant of Sitarampur, Somanath Mohant of Katalpasi, Jugal Behera and Satyabrata Behera of Jhumpura.
They pointed out that sunflower is cultivated in November and December particularly after harvest of paddy. The cash crop is harvested within 100 to 110 days.
Farmers said maintaining moisture in the soil is vital for sunflower cultivation. If the soil dries up, the plants cannot grow properly and produce bigger flowers.
Besides, many farmers face distress sale of seeds in the absence of proper marketing facilities. Sunflower seeds are sold for only Rs 10 to Rs 12 per kg for which many farmers are not keen to take up this cultivation, they added.
Earlier, sunflower cultivation used to be carried out in over 100 hectares, but the area under cultivation has been declining over the years and is confined to 25 hectares this year, though the government has been encouraging this cultivation under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana and National Oil Seeds Mission.
Famers say the government should make provision of irrigation and marketing facilities for sunflower so that more and more farmers will be attracted towards this cash crop.
Sunflower cultivation can be carried out in over 26,300 hectare in the block in kharif and rabi seasons if irrigation facilities are made available, said block agriculture officer Iswar Das. PNN