To bring further prosperity in the field of agriculture, constant innovations are being done in the district. Following the same, around 20 farmers have started corn cultivation in 60 acres in Bhuwara, Tikri, Luhari and Garha villages of Patan tehsil, Oriya and Madna villages of Panagar tehsil and Natwara village of Shahpura tehsil as contract farming in collaboration with Madhya Pradesh Vindhya Organic and Herbal Foundation. This is the first occasion in the district when farmers are cultivating popcorn variety of corn.

 

According to the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Jabalpur district, Dr. S.K. Nigam, the farmers have sown corn as a summer crop in the month of March. Dr. Nigam said that he, along with Madhya Pradesh Vindhya Organic and Herbal Foundation Director Dr. R.N. Shukla and Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer Patan, inspected the crop in Bhuwara village of Patan tehsil and Natwara village of Shahpura tehsil and also had discussion with the farmers. While discussion, the farmers told that they have a contract with Madhya Pradesh Vindhya Organic and Herbal Foundation for purchasing corn at the rate of 3 thousand per quintal and they are expected to get 20-25 quintals of corn per acre. According to Dr. Nigam, Vindhya Organic and Herbal Foundation is providing seeds and technical guidance to the farmers. For this, separate agricultural experts have been appointed by this institution.

 

These agricultural experts regularly visit the fields of the farmers who grow corn and provide them required advises and suggestions. He told that Vindhya Organic and Herbal Foundation will purchase all the popcorn produced by the farmers. This institution has also set a target to cultivate different varieties of corn including popcorn, baby corn and sweet corn on contract basis in 500 to 1000 acres in Jabalpur district in the upcoming Kharif season. During inspection, Deputy Director Agriculture Dr. Nigam praised the farmers for cultivating corn as an innovation.