When 37-year-old P. Pothirajan of Thanakkankulam near Tirunagar resolved to take up fodder cultivation in 2006, he was mocked by fellow farmers and his family members who warned him of the damage it could cause to his farmland.
After nearly seven years, the idea helped turn the tables for Pothirajan who is now a successful entrepreneur supplying ‘CO4’ fodder to several farmers in and around his village. Many farmers affected by drought conditions and high feed prices have found a cost-effective and innovative solution in ‘CO4’ fodder.
Mr. Pothirajan shared his success story at the inauguration of a first-of-a-kind Farmer’s Club, formed by those who have taken up fodder cultivation, at Vedar Puliyankulam. “I started cultivating fodder crops on a small portion of land, but now I have allotted an acre for them,” he said. “I make a profit of around Rs.1 lakh in a year. The fodder cultivation has helped increase the milk yield of my cattle,” he added. The farmer, who is also the treasurer of the Farmer’s Club, said with pride that his standards of living had vastly improved.
R. Shankar Narayan, Assistant General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), said the club would act as a bridge between the banker and the farmer. It would serve as a ticket for farmers from the village to visit cities and interact with farmers from other States. The members would be updated on new developments taking place in the farming industry. They could share their experiences at meetings and group discussions.
Stressing on the need for availability of locally produced fodder, Mr. Narayan said Madurai district was reeling under a severe fodder deficit.
There are more than 180 Farmers’ Clubs in the district. There are clubs in Usilampatti (formed by jasmine growers), Chellampatti (vegetables) and Peraiyur (minor millets).
According to Animal Husbandry Department officials, for any cattle to stay healthy and give good milk, 70 per cent of its diet must comprise green fodder and the rest by leguminous plants.
Collector L. Subramanian, who inaugurated the club, said a successful farmer must shift his cropping pattern to suit market trends. He should know the requirement of the market and cultivate the right crops. Only then his economic condition would improve. There was no use in simply growing some or other crops in a routine manner and then hankering after a middleman for selling. Farmers must also make the best use of government schemes, he added.
Gopinathan, Joint Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, and A.J.A. Jeyasingh Gnanadurai, Joint Director, Department of Agriculture, spoke.
