Red gram cultivation gets boosted in SEVAI-OFI-SG Thottiyapatty project.

Red gram cultivation in Thottiyapatty

         Red gram cultivation gets boosted in SEVAI-OFI-SG Thottiyapatty project SEVAI has motivated marginal farmers  in raising red gram in the fields, which ensures increased income for the growers in Thottiyapatty SEVAI-OFI-Society General Project. Red gram, also known as pigeon pea, is an important pulse crop of India and is being cultivated in Tottiyapatty Village watershed project. Red gram is a protein rich staple food. It contains about 22 percent protein, which is almost three times that of cereals. Red gram supplies a major share of protein requirement of vegetarian population. Red gram is mainly consumed in the form of split pulse as Dal, which is an essential supplement of cereal based diet. The combination of pulse-rice or pulse-wheat bread is an important ingredient in the average Indian diet. The biological value improves greatly, when rice is combined with Red gram because of the complementary relationship of the essential amino acids. It is particularly rich in lysine, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin and iron. Since the cultivation of red gram as a ‘pure crop’ is practiced in Thottiyapatty Village  and the project popularizes the cultivation of the crop among the farmers and  obtain an increased income from red gram cultivation, the red gram, being an important nitrogen fixing crop, it is widely grown for enriching the soil.“Its deep penetrating roots help in bringing nutrients from deeper layers of soil. With an effective rhizobium nodulation, it can fix up to 160 – 200 kg of nitrogen per ha per year. Falling of leaves before maturity ensures sufficient incorporation of nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil, which will be beneficial to the subsequent crop. Nitrogen fixing potential of red gram makes it an ideal intercrop or rotation crop in organic management. Timely harvesting reduces the losses. Use of proper method of harvesting, Avoiding the losses in threshing and winnowing by adopting appropriate methods. Adopting grading for getting remunerative prices inter-alia to avoid financial loss, Using good packaging materials for storage as well as for transportation, Use proper technique in storage, Use pest control measures during storage, Timely and proper handling (loading and unloading) of Red gram with good transportation facilities at farm and market level, reduces the losses and Avoiding use of hooks by labour during handling enables the red gram cultivation more professional.-Govin