Despite shortages of water and labour force, progressive farmers at Nallamanarkottai village in Vadmadurai union have been making a handsome profit as they treat agriculture as industry.
They not only adopt the latest technologies, but also use imported seeds to get better yields on small areas. They also appoint technical hands to man their farms, where they grow cucumber, tomato and other vegetables.
Vertical farming methods under weather-controlled atmospheres have helped them to harvest large quantities of cucumber. They harvest 35 tons of cucumber and earn an income of Rs.10 lakh in 140 days. “At least, two acres are needed to raise 2,500 plants on open field whereas in poly houses, we grow the same number of plants on half an acre by adopting the vertical farming method. With the implementation of the latest technologies, we have registered a four-fold increase in yield while reducing cultivable land size to half,” says S. Ramesh, a progressive farmer in Nallamanarkottai.