Four brothers in Aimangala village near Virajpet have scripted success stories by taking up integrated farming. Along with paddy cultivation, they are engaged in apiculture, rearing chicken, growing banana, fruits, vegetable cultivation and earn a good income.
Deepak Rao, Pradeep Rao, Prakash Rao and Ajay Rao have been engaged in a variety of cultivation. In 25 acres of plantations and 12 acres of paddy fields, the brothers are cultivating coffee, arecanut, coconut, black pepper, paddy, banana, variety of fruits, vegetables, rearing chicken and apiculture.
The brothers are engaged in cultivating "Hoo baale" on three acres of land and are earning Rs 90,000 per acre annually.
“Compared to Nendran banana, Hoo Baale fetches less profit. But one will get a good and steady income,” said Ajay.
The family that has been engaged in rearing chicken since 1986, and has continued it even to this day. Initially, they were rearing 3,000 to 4,000 chickens. Now, we rear 300 to 400 chicken, owing to the increase in the price of feed for chickens.”
They have been cultivating paddy on eight to 10 acres for the last several years. They are also cultivating BVK, Doddi, Dodda Bhatha, Jeerige varieties of paddy. The profit from selling paddy straw is also a profit from the cultivation of paddy, said the brothers.
Vegetables like long yard beans, bitter gourd, brinjal, green chilly are avare are cultivated. In addition, they also have moosambi, sapota, mango and pomegranate at their plantation. The brothers are also engaged in rearing cows and apiculture.