Koppal
In a time when many youth are losing interest in agriculture due to low income, a farmer in Kesarhatti village is expecting to earn a significant income within three to four months by growing a foreign millet variety. Sharanappa Layaduni has experimented with cultivating turkey millet on six acres of his 40-acre land.
Unlike native millet species, which grow up to three to four feet with shorter stems, the turkey millet plant reaches a height of four to five feet. He has already seen the formation of large heads on the plants, leading to expectations of a good harvest. Sharanappa has used dry farming methods and expects a yield of 13-15 quintals per acre.
He stated that if the crop were grown with irrigation, yields could increase to 20-22 quintals per acre. In comparison, native millet varieties yield 8-10 quintals in dry farming and 10-12 quintals with irrigation. The current market price for millet is about Rs 2,500 to 2,600 per quintal.
Sharanappa learned about turkey millet from relatives in Ilakal taluk, obtained seeds at Rs 500 per kg, and planted them. He estimated total costs, including seeds, fertilizer, labor, and weed control, to be around Rs 18,000-20,000 per acre. He expects an income of Rs 3.5 lakh from the six acres of turkey millet.
