Manish Dubey, a resident of Khadra of Bahoriband block of Katni district, has decided to abandon the traditional cultivation of Wheat and Urad in order to fulfill the government’s resolve to make agriculture a profitable business and double the income of agriculture in five years. Agricultural income has quadrupled by production. Manish Dubey, son of retired Ranger Ram Sevak Dubey, after studying up to BA, decided to take a crop of medicinal plants apart from traditional farming. He has increased the income from traditional farming to 30 to 32 thousand rupees per hectare through hard work and dedication and has reached to one lakh 11 thousand rupees per hectare through medicinal crops. Now he is getting Rs 10 to 12 lakhs annual income from his advanced farming.

Young farmer Manish Dubey says that with the production of 15 quintals per hectare in wheat and 6 quintals per hectare in the crop Urad in traditional farming, only 30 to 32 thousand rupees per hectare could have been produced. Being involved in the activities of the Department of Horticulture and Food Processing and the Agricultural Training cum Tour Program, it was found that one can earn profits by cultivating medicinal plants in his district. To gather more information about the cultivation of medicinal crops and planted citronella in 10 acres of farmland taken on his own and Sikami, Lemon Grass in 4 acres, Pamaroja in 2 acres, Metha in 2 acres and Stevia (sweet basil) crops in 1 acre. . Apart from this, organic farming of Urad in paddy was also done in some land for domestic use. Organic manure and fertilizer were also used in place of chemical fertilizer.

Manish Dubey said that due to very low requirement of chemical fertilizers, pesticides in medicinal plants, the cost is also reduced and once planted the crop can be produced for the next three years. The cost of harvest for the first year from the crop of medicinal plants was 40 thousand rupees per hectare. While the first year profit was one lakh 10 thousand per hectare. Reducing costs in the following years will only yield profits. On the question of market and sale for medicinal plants, Mr. Dubey says that due to contact farming or the demand of medicinal crop, aromatic oils in the market, their medicinal crop is sold in the market. Cultivation of medicinal crops with organic and advanced technology is also an easy and best way to increase agricultural income.