Use of gypsum increases yield in groundnut crop

Farmers reap huge benefits thanks to field experiment held at Babulgaon village

Some experiments offer good results encouraging others to follow the same path. One such experiment that has resulted in offering good yield in groundnut was attempted in Babulgaon village in Kangti mandal.

Vilas Rao is having about four acres of land. During last summer the farmer cultivated groundnut in about 1.3 acres and used gypsum following the suggestion by agriculture extension officer (AEO) Santosh, on an experimental basis.

The yield in Vilas Rao’s field considerably increased from 8 quintals to 12 quintals and the financial benefit was stated to be around ₹ 15,000 per acre. In addition to Vilas Rao, 15 other farmers also experimented the same in Chintalvadi hamlet located under Babulgaon panchayat limits.

Vilas Rao, along with AEO , has been campaigning about the use and benefit of gypsum in groundnut cultivation for the past few months as summer is approaching and would offer additional benefit to farmers. The effort is to let the farmers cultivating groundnut in about 80 acres in the village use gypsum and get the benefits.

“Gypsum gives calcium and sulphur, which groundnut crops need. Farmers normally invest between ₹ 15,000 and ₹ 20,000 for cultivation of groundnut on one acre, their income from the investment will be between ₹ 40,000 and ₹ 50,000. With the use of gypsum, their income goes up by an additional ₹ 12,000 to ₹ 20,000 per acre. The farmers in the area get yields of seven to eight quintals, but with use of gypsum when the crop is 45-50 days old, the yield goes up to 10-12 quintals. They need to spend just ₹ 700 on gypsum per acre,” Mr Santosh told The Hindu.