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Farmers turning towards ‘more profitable’ fig farming in Prayagraj region
Farmers in Prayagraj, India, are abandoning traditional crops in favor of fig farming, which is proving to be more profitable, with some farmers earning up to ₹10 lakh per acre. The state government is providing financial incentives and support to encourage fig farming. The fig trees can withstand different soil types and thrive in hot and dry climates, making them suitable for the region. Fig farming is also beneficial for health, as figs are a rich source of vitamins and minerals.
PRAYAGRAJ Select farmers of Prayagraj region, especially in Fatehpur district, have moved on from their traditional crops like paddy, wheat and pulses, and begun fig (or anjeer) farming, which is helping them reap rich dividends.
These farmers are making use of technical as well as financial support in the form of a ‘financial incentive’ from the horticulture department. As per its policy, the state government is not just providing them support in their efforts but also helping them earn much more than ever before.
These farmers, through fig farming, are earning as much as ₹10 lakh per acre against ₹1 lakh to ₹4 lakh they used to earn earlier, say officials. Presently, Fatehpur alone has fig farming taking place on around 11 acres of land by these farmers, they added.
One such farmer is Sarvesh Chandra Mishra of Fatehpur’s Mawai Pathakpur village in the Prayagraj division. “I have started cultivating Afghani species of figs instead of traditional farming for the past two years, and I have witnessed great results. My income has more than doubled,” he said with a smile.
Sarvesh says that he started fig cultivation on his 1-acre farmland. “I opted for fig plants of Afghan Diana variety for their sturdiness and good fruit-yielding capacity. To make the produce more appealing, I used only cow dung manure for the crop at the suggestion of horticulture department officials, and this has proved greatly beneficial. I am earning around ₹10 lakh from fig cultivation on my 1-acre land,” he said.
For this farming, he also received an incentive amount of ₹90,600 from the state government. Seeing his success, other farmers of the area too have turned towards fig cultivation.
Another farmer involved in fig farming is Shiv Nandan, a resident of Pathakpur village in Fatehpur. “I used to grow paddy and wheat like most farmers till just two years back. However, when I heard that anjeer farming was proving to be a success in my area and was more profitable, I decided to go for it. Today, I am growing fig trees on 1.5-acre land that I own in my village and the last two harvests have yielded me four times the earnings that I made through traditional crops,” said Shiv Nandan.
Another farmer of the same village Jageshwar, too has started anjeer farming on his 1-acre land.
Speaking on the trend, deputy director, horticulture, Prayagraj division, Krishna Mohan Chowdhary, said that around seven farmers have embraced fig cultivation in Fatehpur district and also availed the subsidy of up to 50% on the expenses under the state horticulture mission initiative aimed at encouraging dry fruit cultivation in the state.
The fact that fig farming can be done even in dry sunny and rocky areas where many other crops do not flourish is also a big advantage of taking up anjeer farming, he added.
Deputy director of agriculture, Prayagraj, Satya Prakash Srivastava, said that fig trees can withstand a range of soil types, such as sandy, loamy, and clay soils, with good drainage and thrive in hot and dry climates. “Fig tree produces two crops of figs per year. Farmers are now coming to the horticulture department to get information about anjeer farming,” he added.
Anjeer is considered immensely beneficial as it is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, and iron. It is known to promote digestion, good bone health, maintain blood sugar levels, and lower the risk of heart disease.
