Interview From Tomatoes Farmers

Ques1: What is your good name and Address?

Mr. Madhukar Kakad,
At post: Mangul, post: Dagadparna,
Tah: Barsitakdi, Dist: Akola (M.S.)

Ques2: What type of crops presently you are cultivating? Give some details.

Wheat, Jawari, cotton, Tur, Mung, Udid, Chana, Tomato, Brinjal etc. All above crops are seasonal, apart from these we are cultivating Vegetables in an around five Acre area. Total cultivated area is 15 Acre.

Ques3: Have you cultivated the Tomato crop before? If yes, give some details.

Previously I was growing Tomato crop in one-Acre area but as the yield and productivity has been increased over the time in turn, which gives better profitability. Selling of the produce was mainly in local area. Since last two years I have been using Hybrid variety Namdhari-815. Presently the growing area of tomato has been increased to 2.5 Acre. The choice for hybrid is made mainly because of high yield, better market prices and withstanding of product for long time.

Ques4: What is the profitability and present market price of Tomato crop?

Presently I am getting almost 70% as against Investment.

Market prices of Public breed: Rs 400-450/Qt.

Market Prices of Hybrid: Rs. 600/Qt.

Ques5: Which Information do you need most? What kind of Information you are expecting in future?

We need timely and advanced warnings about pest attacks, how to control pest attacks, weed control. Information about new products such as new seed varieties, new insecticide and pesticides. Right now we are facing problem of downward drying of plants towards the roots. We are in need of information of varieties or standard practice, which must ensure that every flower, getting converted in to fruits so that the productivity will increase. We also need information about different markets and market prices, information about cold storage’s, new technology of cultivation, guidelines for marketing of produces.

Ques6: What kind of Technology do you adopt for Tomato cultivation?

We are growing tomato in only traditional way means the sowing of plants at equidistant. The distance between two plants is 2-2.5 feet. Followed by timely doses of micronutrients, pesticides and insecticides with irrigation system.

Interview with Shri Sachin Shinde, a successful tomato grower

Q: Before going to your success story give some information regarding yourself?

Shri Shinde: My self Sachin Shinde completed my 8^th class and helping my father since childhood. I have a great interest in farming and like to make inventions in a piece of land. We are three brothers and two sisters.

Q: Which crop do you cultivate?

Shri Shinde: Normally we cultivate crops like tomato, chilli, and cauliflower.

Q: In tomato cultivation which major problem you required to face?

Shri Shinde: Orbanche, one of the plant parasites has caused nuisance and majority of the crop got destroyed due to it.

Q: What are the symptoms of infestation with Orbanche and how did you controlled it?

Shri Shinde: When the tomato crop got infected with Orbanche being plant parasite in nature it damaged the plant completely due to which death of the plants occurred. For the control of Orbanche use of intercultural operation for example Earthing up of tomato plants was made. Due to which Orbanche got destroyed before flowering.

Q: What is the secret behind you success in farming?

Shri Shinde: To increase my knowledge I am subscribing few magazines related to agriculture and I always keeps on reading the new literature and tries to implant them in practice. I often visit Krishi Melas to gain more and more knowledge and attend seminars based on it.

Q: What advice you would like to give to the other farmers?

Shri Shinde: Traditional farming should be avoided and efforts should be made to adopt new technology. One should also visit Krishi Vidyapeeth for solving their queries instead of keeping mum and should get solution out of it. Farmers should make all the farming operations at appropriate terms.

Interview with Shri Ajit Godbole , a successful tomato grower

Q: Initially we would like to know that how you stepped up in farming business?

Shri Ajit: My father Shri Manik Godbole is doing farming since long time. I have completed my B.Com and due to the interest in farming I decided to continue farming. my native place is Maharashtra and total 7 members are there in our family.

Q: Which type of crop do you cultivate on large scale?

Shri Ajit: Normally vegetables are grown in our area. We have given more emphasis on tomato cultivation. I am cultivating tomato crop on 4 acres of land. Last year I had taken hybrid Rasika variety of tomato and Rashmi (Indo-American) variety of cabbage. Some times I do cultivate hybrid varieties of cauliflower.

Q: Why do you cultivate hybrid varieties only?

Shri Ajit: From the previous experience we noted that although hybrid seeds are little costlier but the crop return given by it are more. In case of tomato I am cultivating hybrid Rasika variety (Novartis India Ltd.).

Q: Which points you keep in mind while cultivating the tomato crop?

Shri Ajit: In my nursery the size of the raised bed is 6 x 3 ft and in between two raised beds 2ft distance has been kept for doing the intercultural operation. Normally for each nursery mixture of 25g D.A.P, 5-6g Phorate, 15g Urea and 25g of Potash is made along with 10-12kg of Gober. Then sowing of the seeds is done which are treated with Redomil. Irrigation is given thereafter. Transplanting is done after 25-30 days.

Q: How do you control the pests and diseases of tomato?

Shri Ajit: Spraying with Metasystox or Rogar along with Copper-oxichloride and Agromin (2.5ml +2g+3ml/lit of water) is done after 8-10 days spraying with Monocrotophos + DithaneM-45 + Agromin (2.5ml +2.5g +2.5ml/lit of water) is done. 10 days thereafter at the time of flowering spraying with Chlorpyriphos + Bavistin + Agromin (2.5ml + 2g + 2.5ml/lit of water). If fruits were found to be infected with caterpillar then I destroy the affected fruits.

Q: After becoming successful farmer what advice you would like to give to the other tomato growers?

Shri Ajit: Farmers should go for the use of hybrid varieties in case of tomato. They should adopt new technology based on it and more emphasis should be given on processed product of tomato because now a days they are fetching more profit.