E-Paper
Late monsoon arrival to affect cultivation of herbal plants
THE LATE arrival of the monsoon is likely to hit cultivation of herbal plants hard this season. Farmers estimate they could suffer a loss of about 20 per cent to 25 per cent yield of total herbal cultivation this year.
THE LATE arrival of the monsoon is likely to hit cultivation of herbal plants hard this season. Farmers estimate they could suffer a loss of about 20 per cent to 25 per cent yield of total herbal cultivation this year.
Farmers believe any further delay in sowing due to ensuing uncertainty of monsoon would worsen the situation. Sowing of herbal plants such as Ashwagandha, Satavar, aloe vera , Kalmegh, Tulsi and Ginger was likely to
suffer.
The yield of Satawar which ranges from 17 to 18 quintal per acre in normal season would go down by 10 to 12 quintal per acre whereas the yield of Ashwagandha which ranges from eight to 10 quintal per care in normal season would go down by six to seven per acre due to delay in the monsoon.
“The inordinate delay in monsoon has worried us as no fresh sowing of herbal products can be done in absence of adequate water supply,” Vindvasni Singh of Nakati village in district Chandauli said. Singh, it may be mentioned, is the only big cultivator of herbal plants, used for medicinal purposes. He said even production of paddy was also going to affect severely due to delay in plantation of paddy. “Since paddy plantation requires sufficient water which is possible only when monsoon arrive and canals get filled with water.
Chandauli district, it may be mentioned is called as ‘rice bowl’ as this is the only district where farmers prefer growing of paddy.
Meanwhile, a young herbal grower, Piyush Pandey said further delay of monsoon would hit the herbal yield by 20 to 25 per cent. He said generally farmers sow herbal plants in the second week of June but due to delay in monsoon several farmers have yet not started the cultivation process of herbal plants at various places this year. Another herbal plant grower, Sanjay Shukla said herbal growers were in a state of utter depression due to delay in monsoon.
“It would affect the herbal yield in the entire region as farmers have yet not started cultivation process,” he added.
