The nutritious Chia and Quinoa seeds introduced to local farmers by the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) last year is gaining popularity in the region.
Though they are staple crop in south American countries like Mexico, the CFTRI introduced them to the local farmers as an experiment which is yielding rich dividends.
“It has the potential to help fight malnutrition and hunger besides withstanding the vagaries of nature as these crops are drought and pest-resistant,” said Attihalli Devaraj, general secretary of the State Sugarcane Cultivators Association.
The cost of cultivation is low, the yield is 4 quintals per acre, it is rich in proteins and for an investment of Rs. 10,000 a farmer can earn upto Rs. 1 lakh at the rate of around Rs. 20,000 per quintal.
It is a boon to the agricultural community and more farmers are seeking information about them, according to the association president Kurubur Shanthakumar. “These crops were introduced last year and have health benefits as they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acid and proteins besides being highly remunerative for farmers,” he added.
A farmer can reap as many as three to four crop a year as Chia and Quinoa seeds have a gestation period of only about 90 days from sowing to harvest.
What is significant for farmers in the region is that these are not water-intensive crops and hence can withstand the frequent bouts of droughts that afflict parts of Mysuru and Chamarajanagar belt, he said.
Besides being drought-resistant, domestic and wild animals do not find them edible. Hence, they are reckoned to be suitable for cultivation on the fringes of forests and national parks where sugarcane and paddy cultivation is extensively cultivated but are damaged by herbivores like elephants resulting in conflict situation.
The Raitha Mitra Company, launched by farmers, to distribute seeds find growing demand for Chia and Quinoa and are bracing up for its marketing and promotion on an extensive scale as they also have export potential.
“The Raita Mitra is in discussion with other farmers cultivating it to take up marketing of the seeds at Rs.200 per kg,” according to Mr. Shanthakumar.
