Harsh Patil, from Nandurbar, Maharashtra, turned to progressive farming strategies after local weather change affected his household’s conventional crops. He began rising saffron utilizing aeroponics in a small room, incomes lakhs. He shares a step-by-step information.
Harsh Patil’s household cultivates bananas, watermelon, and cotton on 120 acres of land in Nandurbar village in Maharashtra. Nonetheless, productiveness has been reducing owing to local weather change and excessive climate occasions.
“In December 2022 when our cotton crop was being harvested, it all of a sudden began raining. On account of these unseasonal rains, we endure enormous losses,” he says.
Seeing his apprehensive father, Harsh wished to discover novel applied sciences and strategies of farming. “In addition to, I didn’t wish to do jobs within the company world, I used to be extra inclined to do enterprise as jobs within the tech discipline are at fixed risk of recession,” he provides.
Within the third 12 months of his faculty, Harsh began in search of enterprise alternatives throughout varied industries. “However my dad and mom had been in opposition to this concept. They wished me to focus utterly on my research first. I didn’t stop on that concept however as a substitute began exploring enterprise alternatives in agriculture in order that my dad and mom perceive the work and didn’t object,” he provides.
So, whereas pursuing his greater schooling in laptop science in Navi Mumbai, Harsh began in search of new applied sciences and strategies of farming. “After I began researching, I got here throughout new crops like dragon fruits, sandalwood, and saffron farming. Not like different crops, I knew I might be capable to simply faucet into the market with saffron as it’s the costliest spice on this planet. This might save me time and power to utterly concentrate on the manufacturing,” he provides.
In India, saffron is extensively cultivated in Kashmir owing to its preferrred temperature and weather conditions. It is usually referred to as the world’s second-largest producer of saffron. To have the ability to domesticate saffron within the heat local weather of Maharashtra was a problem for Harsh. So, he turned to cultivating saffron in a managed surroundings utilizing the aeroponics method in a 15×15 room.
A step-by-step information to rising saffron
Removed from the valley, Harsh was capable of harvest 350 grams of saffron of ‘mogra’ selection in a tiny room, incomes Rs 1 lakh. “The primary expertise was a bit of scary for me in addition to thrilling. I used to be uncertain if I might obtain success or not however I gave my one hundred pc and obtained good outcomes,” he says.
Seeing his success, farmers have been approaching Harsh to know the nitty-gritty of indoor saffron farming. To this point, he has skilled 50 farmers via on-line workshops.
Harsh shares a step-by-step information for farmers keen to duplicate the tactic:
1) Set up a managed surroundings
Harsh was capable of develop saffron in heat Nandurbar village as he arrange a managed surroundings. “For this, I insulated the room to regulate the temperature. You’ll be able to insulate the room utilizing thermocol or puff panels if practising saffron in an open space,” he says.
“You additionally have to spend money on correct equipment to make sure an analogous local weather like Kashmir. Set up chillers from chilly storages and humidifiers to regulate the temperature,” he provides.
Harsh says a temperature of 15-20 levels must be maintained in September through the sprouting interval and 5-7 levels from November to October on the time of flowering. “We can’t present direct harsh daylight to saffron, so we used develop lights as a substitute,” he provides.
2) Procure bulbs
Harsh advises procuring saffron bulbs for sprouting solely after making ready the unit. He sourced bulbs of ‘mogra’ selection from Kashmir. “It prices between Rs 600 and Rs 800 per kg. There are extra bills for transportation. Farmers can begin saffron cultivation from 100 kg of bulbs to get a yield of about 30 to 40 grams,” he provides.
3) Bulb remedy course of
Harsh says saffron bulbs are liable to fungus assaults and require particular care throughout transportation. “Firstly, type the bulbs as per their dimension and take away grime and dust. Thereafter, dip them in neem oil answer to take away micro organism. Dry them naturally contained in the room beneath the fan,” he says.
“Place these bulbs on trays for sprouting. Desire plastic trays over wood ones as will probably be much less liable to fungus assault,” he provides.
4) Upkeep of temperature and sanitisation
Harsh makes use of the aeroponics method the place bulbs are grown in soilless media and vitamins are equipped via air. On this setup, he has additionally put in humidifiers and air conditioners to offer a correct local weather for saffron.
“In 15×15, I put in air conditioners that robotically regulate temperature. As an illustration, if the specified temperature is attained then it robotically switches off, and as quickly because the temperature reduces by three levels, it restarts. The facility bills quantity to round Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 per thirty days. We are able to harness photo voltaic power as nicely to cut back energy prices,” he says.
Harsh says cultivating saffron is simple supplied correct temperature and cleanliness are ensured. “Farmers want to control the temperature and humidity, which varies from sowing to the flowering stage. Keep humidity between 60 and 70 p.c within the unit,” he provides.
He additionally warns, “Don’t let anybody enter the unit, and if vital, put on masks and apply sanitisers in order that there’s no threat of ailments affecting the bulbs. Nonetheless, in case of fungus assault, take away the affected bulbs from others and deal with them with neem oil.”
5) Harvest stigma sticks
Harsh says farmers can harvest saffron yearly as saffron has a life cycle — dormancy, flowering, and multiplication stage. “Saffron is able to harvest in late October. You’ll be able to pluck stigma sticks (flower’s thread-like buildings) from saffron crocus. You’ll get three stigma sticks from every flower. Place them on a clear fabric and dry them naturally beneath the fan,” he says.
Harsh provides that farmers can earn as much as Rs 700 per gram by promoting saffron stigma sticks. “It’s simpler to faucet into the market and earn handsomely. At the moment, the market is dominated by low-cost imports from Iran. You’ll be able to seize the chance by promoting genuine pink saffron, which doesn’t dissolve in water and leaves a shiny golden color,” he provides.
“After harvesting comes the multiplication stage of daughter corms. This course of requires soil and cocopeat media. It takes as much as 4 months for the method, whereby a bulb will get multiplied into two. These bulbs could be saved for the following cycle,” he notes.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
