Gorakhpur. The government is continuously implementing incentive schemes to increase the income of farmers. In this connection, to increase the income of the farmers, the Yogi government has made a system of giving subsidy to the farmers for the cultivation of Makhana. For this, the government’s special focus is on Purvanchal, which has the maximum cultivation of Makhana and has a climate similar to Mithilanchal of Bihar. The government has set a target for the cultivation of Makhana on subsidy in 14 districts of Purvanchal. In this, Makhana cultivation has started in Deoria district of Gorakhpur division since last year, while three other districts of the division, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj and Kushinagar, have been given a target to cultivate Makhana in a total of 33 hectares. Scientific study has found that the climate of Gorakhpur division has the potential to give productivity like Mithila.
Makhana cultivation is more suitable for such places where there is a lot of water accumulated in the fields. Not only is there a sufficient number of ponds in Gorakhpur division, there are many blocks of the division where rain water remains filled in the fields for a long time in low land areas. It is obvious that the farmers of these fields can become rich by adopting Makhana farming. The government has also made provision of grant for Makhana cultivation with this intention. The aim of this initiative of the government is to improve the economic condition of farmers.
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The experiment of Makhana cultivation has started last year itself in Deoria district of Gorakhpur division. Many progressive farmers and fish farmers here are doing farming by purchasing Makhana seeds from the National Makhana Research Center, Darbhanga. In this way, Deoria has become the first district of Purvanchal to start Makhana farming. This year, Makhana crop is ready in about five hectares of area in Deoria. Now the government has started connecting farmers from other districts of the division also. For example, the target of cultivating Makhana in 13 hectare area in Kushinagar district next to Deoria has been achieved. Out of this, the Horticulture Department has so far accepted the proposal of 16 farmers for farming in an area of more than 8 hectares. The Horticulture Department has been given permission to cultivate Makhana in 10 hectare area in Gorakhpur. Superintendent of Government Park, Parasnath, says that out of the total target, Scheduled Caste farmers are being encouraged to cultivate Makhana in 20 percent of the total target i.e. 2 hectare area in Gorakhpur. The 8 hectare area is targeted for general category farmers. Similarly, in Maharajganj district also, the Horticulture Department has got the target from the government to cultivate Makhana in 10 hectares. About 25 farmers will join it in the first year.
40 percent cost will be covered by grant
The government will give a grant of Rs 40 thousand per hectare to the farmers who cultivate Makhana by registering in the Horticulture Department. It costs about one lakh rupees to cultivate Makhana in one hectare. In such a situation, 40 percent of the cost will be covered by government grant alone. In a one hectare pond or watered field, the average yield per hectare is 25 to 29 quintals. At present, the average wholesale price per kg of good quality Makhana is one thousand rupees.
It takes ten months from setting up the nursery till the crop is ready.
Makhana is cultivated in a pond or field filled with an average of three feet water. Its nursery is set up in the month of November and it is transplanted after four months (in February-March). The plants start flowering about five months after transplantation. Its harvesting starts in October-November. From nursery till harvesting, it takes a total of ten months to prepare the crop. Makhana cultivation is even more beneficial for those farmers who already do fish farming in their private ponds.
Makhana’s fame is increasing as a superfood
Due to being a treasure trove of nutrients, the fame of Makhana is increasing as a superfood. After Corona, awareness among people about strengthening health and immune system has increased significantly and due to this the demand for Makhana has also increased rapidly. Apart from being low in calories, Makhana is rich in protein, phosphorus, fiber, iron and calcium. Its consumption is considered beneficial for keeping the digestive system healthy as well as controlling heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.