Field Day on Enhancing Income of Groundnut Farmers by Complete Mechanization on 22-02-2020 organised by RARS, Palem

A field day has been conducted on “Enhancing income of groundnut farmers by complete mechanization & to demonstrate the groundnut digger and shaker for groundnut harvesting” at uppununtala village, Achampet Mandal, Nagarkurnool District on 22.02.2020. The programme was started with inviting dignitaries onto the dias by K. Mamatha, Scientist (Agronomy) followed by welcome address by Dr. K. Avil Kumar, Associated Director of Research, STZ. He explained farmers about the importance of groundnut cultivation in Southern Telangana Zone. He also detailed the importance of groundnut mechanization and directed the farmers to get updated with the new machinery available for groundnut crop which are cost effective and efficient. Smt. K. Mamatha, Scientist (Agronomy), RARS, Palem explained about the use broad bed and furrow maker and planter in increasing number of pods per plant. She also explained about the importance and precautions to be taken while using groundnut digger and shaker. Mechanization is the need of the day and farmers have to know the available machinery and learn skills to operate them. A demonstration on groundnut digger and shaker was shown to the farmers of uppununtala village and operating mechanism of the groundnut harvester has been explained to the farmers by Dr. A. Mastanaiah. Dr. Rama Krishna Babu, Coordinator, DAATTC, Mahabubnagar explained about various insect pest attack during crop growth period. He also explained about the labour scarcity and future need of mechanization in all crops. Dr. V. Divya Rani, Scientist (Pathology), RARS, Palem detailed about various disease incidence in groundnut crop and management details of various diseases using Integrated Disease Management practices. Dr. A. Masthanaiah, Scientist (Agril. Engineering), KVK, Madnapuram shared his experience with various farm implements. He also informed no farm implements are successful unless and until we learn to make necessary adjustments and acquire skills to operate them. D. Chandrashekar Reddy, Farmer, Uppununtala village has shared his experience in growing Groundnut using broadbed and furrow method. Initially farmer was hesitated to adopt to this new method of planting as seed rate under this method was low compared to the traditional method. He expressed a positive hope towards the yields of groundnut crop. K. Ananthareddy, Farmer, Uppununtala village told that this season was a very bad season for them as yields were effected by leaf spot disease and the obtained currently are half of their average productivity. At this worst time labour scarcity and labour wages were very high. Farm mechanization at this crucial time can save farmers from high labour wages. B. Narendar, Ex-Single window chairman expressed his views on farm mechanization. AEOs from Departments of Agriculture, Bharath Kumar, Vinod varma and Ravi and 45 farmers from Uppununtala village have attended the field day. The programme was closed with vote of thanks by Smt. K. Mamatha, Scientist (Agronomy).