Jharkhand Flower Farming: Farmers who depend on crops like paddy and wheat face a big challenge every year due to fluctuations in weather and market. Even after hard work and huge investment in the fields, many times we do not get the right price for the crop. To overcome this problem, farmers are now turning to cash crops. Flower farming has emerged as an option which can provide farmers a fixed and continuous income along with traditional farming. The Horticulture Department of Jharkhand Government has also come forward in this direction to strengthen the farmers. Through the National Horticulture Mission, farmers are being connected with new technologies and financial help, so that they can start commercial cultivation of flowers without any financial pressure.
Government help to reduce costs
The increasing cost of fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and irrigation in traditional crops has made farming very expensive. In such a situation, if the farmer does not get the right price for selling his produce, he gets buried under the burden of debt. To find a solution to this problem, flower farming is being promoted. Under the National Horticulture Mission Scheme of the Horticulture Department, up to 100% financial assistance i.e. grant is being given to eligible farmers. The biggest advantage of this scheme is that the farmer does not have to invest much capital from his own pocket. The risk to farmers is greatly reduced as a large part of the initial cost is borne by the government. Farmers who have their own agricultural land can take advantage of this scheme to bring prosperity to their fields.
There is always huge demand for flowers in the market.
Be it the festive season, wedding occasion or everyday worship, the need for flowers is always present in every home and market. Farmers can choose different types of flowers according to the demand of their area. Marigold is a flower which is in highest demand throughout the year. Marigold flowers are heavily consumed in religious programs, temple complexes and for decoration purposes. Apart from this, farmers can also easily cultivate high value flowers like rose, tuberose and gerbera. If farmers understand the needs of the local market and plant the right flowers in their fields, then they will not have to go to distant markets to sell their produce and will get good cash prices directly at the local level.
Easy application process to avail the benefits of the scheme
The process of joining this government scheme has been made very simple so that the farmers of villages and rural areas do not have to face any kind of confusion. To avail the benefits of the scheme, the farmer must have identity card, Aadhar card, active mobile number and complete documents of his land. These documents should include the total area of the land, account number and correct information related to Khasra. Farmers can prepare their application form and get it signed by their area's public representative, block agriculture officer or BTM. After this, this entire application has to be submitted to the Horticulture Department office of the concerned district. The department officials investigate the land and documents and as soon as the process is completed, the benefit of the scheme is given to the farmer.
Good employment for youth even in less land
The best thing about flower farming is that for this it is not necessary for a farmer to have a large area of land. Even if a farmer has less land, he can start flower gardening in a small part of it. His old traditional crops will also continue to grow in the remaining fields. In this way the land will be used properly and there will be provision of cash every month. This is also an excellent source of self-employment for the unemployed youth of rural areas. By adopting modern technologies and with the help of government, youth can become a successful agricultural entrepreneur while living in their village and can provide employment to others as well.
Keep these things in mind before starting farming
Before planting any new crop, it is very important to know its ground reality. Farmers planning to cultivate flowers should first visit their nearest markets. They have to understand which flower is selling the fastest in the market around them and what are the wholesale prices. Along with this, it is also important to look at the soil, water facility and weather suitability of your farm. The best step would be to directly contact the Horticulture Department or Krishi Vigyan Kendra of your district to get the latest information about the current conditions, rules and grants related to the scheme. Flower farming started with right information and government support can definitely bring prosperity in the lives of farmers.
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