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Mango orchard nurtured with bio slurry. Fruits sold to end consumer through smart phone connect
“This year’s mango season is over! It was the year of fruitful profits for us! Now begins the look after of the mango tree for a promising next season. We never take any shortcuts for growing or selling mangoes. Therefore our entire harvest gets sold out completely with direct sales to the end consumers. Our farm grown mangoes taste delectable and high on nutritive quotient because these are grown naturally in alliance to the nature. We use only cow based farming inputs in our farm while chemicals are strictly banned throughout the process,” says Mr. Yagnesh Desai, Founder, Nisarg Seva.
Nisarg Seva is the family run orchard of Mr. Desai. It is located at Valsad, Gujarat. Spread in 22 acres, the orchard has rich plantation of alphonso mango however other varieties grown are kesar, rajapari and lagda etc. Seasonal vegetables, paddy and pulses are also grown in the small patch. However mango is the main revenue generating commodity of the orchard. There are 250 plus mango trees in the orchard. Approximately all the trees are more than 100 years and fruiting very well because, “We do not interfere in its growth. We take no special measures for increasing the yield. If the tree is healthy it will yield more on its own. By and large alphonso tree yield fruit in every alternate year but in our orchard every tree yields mangoes every year! However the quantum of the produce does varies every year,” he shares.
Requirement of all agri inputs is fulfilled from in-house dairy unit having 30 pure gir breed cows. “We have a bio gas unit installed at the farm. The slurry procured is the only agri input we use in our orchard. The bio slurry acts as multi-purpose food for the plants and trees as it contains all major plant nutrients namely NPK. When applied in the orchard plants and trees readily absorb these nutrients. It is a best soil conditioner, improves humus in the soil and enhances water retention capacity. As the slurry is by-product of raw dung it is odorless and repels flies, termites and pests,” he states.
Post harvest of mangoes, during the monsoon the tree is fed with the bio gas slurry directly while later during the flowering stage in November the diluted slurry is sprayed on the tree to boost its’ strength. “The pH of slurry varies 6-7. This pH is high and can adversely affect the tree. During the monsoon, there is good amount of water on the top soil of the trees hence the slurry is fed directly and high pH is controlled naturally. Whereas during the flowering stage we dilute the slurry by mixing water then spray it on the trees. In the mix slurry is only 2% while rest is water,” elaborates Mr. Desai. Spraying diluted slurry safeguards the trees from the pest and disease attack. It acts as a protective shield to the trees. “We also spray cow urine and buttermilk. The percentage of these two is also kept 2% in the mix same as bio slurry. We spray all three on rotation in fixed intervals.” Irrigation is done through drip to have optimum use of water.
Harvesting begins in the first week of May and continues till June end at Nisarg Seva Orchard. The mangoes are harvested in semi-ripe condition, packed in corrugated box consisting of hay and dispatched to the cities through road-travel companies. “We are supplying to different cities in Gujarat and few in Maharashtra state namely Pune and Mumbai. The orders come through WhatsApp, delivery through railways or bus travels and payment through online bank transfer. It is all so simple and hassle free,” highlights Mr. Desai. This year alphonso 12 kg pack was sold at Rs. 1200/pack, kesar at Rs. 1000/pack and lagda at Rs. 800/pack.
He concludes, “Using flower inducers in mango trees or calcium carbide for artificially ripening the mangoes must be stopped immediately as it is of no good to anyone. It might give short and quick money to the farmers but earning on cost of someone’s health is not ethical. Use natural farming and harvesting practices that leads to good health and strength to the trees as well as consumers. If the farmer is right in performing his duties in farming then income flow will always be bright!!”
Contact details:
Nisarg Seva
Mohan Opticians, Azad Chowk, Valsad – 396 001, Gujarat.
Phone: 09825125074, 09725490599
Email: mr.yagnesh.desai@gmail.com
“This year’s mango season is over! It was the year of fruitful profits for us! Now begins the look after of the mango tree for a promising next season. We never take any shortcuts for growing or selling mangoes. Therefore our entire harvest gets sold out completely with direct sales to the end consumers. Our farm grown mangoes taste delectable and high on nutritive quotient because these are grown naturally in alliance to the nature. We use only cow based farming inputs in our farm while chemicals are strictly banned throughout the process,” says Mr. Yagnesh Desai, Founder, Nisarg Seva.
Nisarg Seva is the family run orchard of Mr. Desai. It is located at Valsad, Gujarat. Spread in 22 acres, the orchard has rich plantation of alphonso mango however other varieties grown are kesar, rajapari and lagda etc. Seasonal vegetables, paddy and pulses are also grown in the small patch. However mango is the main revenue generating commodity of the orchard. There are 250 plus mango trees in the orchard. Approximately all the trees are more than 100 years and fruiting very well because, “We do not interfere in its growth. We take no special measures for increasing the yield. If the tree is healthy it will yield more on its own. By and large alphonso tree yield fruit in every alternate year but in our orchard every tree yields mangoes every year! However the quantum of the produce does varies every year,” he shares.
Requirement of all agri inputs is fulfilled from in-house dairy unit having 30 pure gir breed cows. “We have a bio gas unit installed at the farm. The slurry procured is the only agri input we use in our orchard. The bio slurry acts as multi-purpose food for the plants and trees as it contains all major plant nutrients namely NPK. When applied in the orchard plants and trees readily absorb these nutrients. It is a best soil conditioner, improves humus in the soil and enhances water retention capacity. As the slurry is by-product of raw dung it is odorless and repels flies, termites and pests,” he states.
Post harvest of mangoes, during the monsoon the tree is fed with the bio gas slurry directly while later during the flowering stage in November the diluted slurry is sprayed on the tree to boost its’ strength. “The pH of slurry varies 6-7. This pH is high and can adversely affect the tree. During the monsoon, there is good amount of water on the top soil of the trees hence the slurry is fed directly and high pH is controlled naturally. Whereas during the flowering stage we dilute the slurry by mixing water then spray it on the trees. In the mix slurry is only 2% while rest is water,” elaborates Mr. Desai. Spraying diluted slurry safeguards the trees from the pest and disease attack. It acts as a protective shield to the trees. “We also spray cow urine and buttermilk. The percentage of these two is also kept 2% in the mix same as bio slurry. We spray all three on rotation in fixed intervals.” Irrigation is done through drip to have optimum use of water.
Harvesting begins in the first week of May and continues till June end at Nisarg Seva Orchard. The mangoes are harvested in semi-ripe condition, packed in corrugated box consisting of hay and dispatched to the cities through road-travel companies. “We are supplying to different cities in Gujarat and few in Maharashtra state namely Pune and Mumbai. The orders come through WhatsApp, delivery through railways or bus travels and payment through online bank transfer. It is all so simple and hassle free,” highlights Mr. Desai. This year alphonso 12 kg pack was sold at Rs. 1200/pack, kesar at Rs. 1000/pack and lagda at Rs. 800/pack.
He concludes, “Using flower inducers in mango trees or calcium carbide for artificially ripening the mangoes must be stopped immediately as it is of no good to anyone. It might give short and quick money to the farmers but earning on cost of someone’s health is not ethical. Use natural farming and harvesting practices that leads to good health and strength to the trees as well as consumers. If the farmer is right in performing his duties in farming then income flow will always be bright!!”
Contact details:
Nisarg Seva
Mohan Opticians, Azad Chowk, Valsad – 396 001, Gujarat.
Phone: 09825125074, 09725490599
Email: mr.yagnesh.desai@gmail.com