Page 7 - 8-1-18 mgmg JULY-DEC-17

One package of this fruit was available at the rate of Rs.100 in the local market. Besides, farmers are
also aware of the preservation of their agricultural produce by means of brewing the fruits into
delicious juice. Farm tanks have been constructed, problem of water scarcity has been done away
with; and the farms also got sufficiently irrigated. Therefore, the cultivation has quickly earned the
interest and will of farmers. It may be noted that time taken for this cultivation from soil preparation
to harvesting is much shorter than the predominant practice called shifting cultivation.

Families practicing this type of cultivation are now able to get credible source of income. This has
offered livelihood and security to the farmers who are earlier helpless in generating their own
income. With the dawn of their economic survival effected by the strawberry cultivation, many
farmers have come up with a firm determination of pumping more and more fruitful output and
transformation of their existing system of cultivation.

After the launching of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) by Govt. of India, farmers
in Siaha District had benefitted with the facility of harvesting water and the provision of irrigating
water. The use of drip irrigation under PMKSY to ensure round the year irrigation for on-farm
management of water, has gained significance especially for the strawberry cultivators at No-aohtla
and surrounding villages within a radius of 10 Km.

15 farmers had also increased their income from the sales of Strawberry runners (seedlings) to the
tune of 13,80,000.00 after irrigating their crops through drip irrigation during the year 2016.
Introduction of drip irrigation technology considerably boosted the income of the farmers and
percentage of the increase in income is 52.25.

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