Sowing Specifications

Maize/Corn
Gate Price is Rs. 1300 to 2300 per ton.
Turmeric
Rhizomes to be planted about 2” deep.
Harvest time – 10 months from planting. Symptoms – lower leaves will turn yellow and fall with age.
Too much water supply will rot the roots. Shoots will emerge in two weeks of sowing. Planting has to be done 4” apart. Distance between rows 10”. Avoid water stagnation in the field. Water should not stand or collect. A ridge and furrow method will give the best yield.
Seed rate is roughly 850 kgs. per acre.
Compost is required at the rate of 1 ton per acre.
Mulching is 1 ton per acre. Fertilizing has to be done at 45 days and 150 days schedule. Mancozeb (mix 2.5 gms. /litre of water) before sowing. Azovit can also do. Neem oil or neem cake could be added. Ratio of nitrogen: phosphorus pentoxide: potassium oxide = 1:1:2.
Irrigation cycle is 20 times or once in 15 days.
Average yield is 8 tons per acre.
Post harvesting, fingers have to be separated from mother rhizomes. Curing is done by boiling in water and drying. Boiling has to be done for a minimum of 40 minutes.
Current farm gate price is Rs. 1, 35, 000 per ton.
Average cost of cultivation is Rs. 37,800 per acre.
Urad Dal
Urad dal also referred to as black lentil to be purchased in bulk. Lentil has to be fresh and not much moisture or insect damage. The lentil has to be whole and not cracked. It has to be grown preferably in summer. They have to receive full sun in well drained and fertilized soil. Soil has to be prepared by compost and manure before sowing. Best sowing time is March to May. The tap root gives branch root system. Pods are narrow and up to 6 cms. Long.
The yield can be 600 kgs. per acre.
Urad dal is selling at around Rs.2800 per quintal.
Seeds should be planted 1.5” deep. Planting rate is 10 seeds per feet.
Fertilizer requirements: N- P –K
Harvest cycle: 3-5 months.

Moong Dal (Pesara Pappu)
Selling at Rs. 7,750 per quintal
Can be sown between April and June
The plants can grow up to 3’ tall.
They can grow from 10 to 20 branches.
The pods can hold up to 15 beans.
The beans are cylindrical and bright green
Before sowing moong beans, proper nitrogen treatment has to be given to the soil.
Seeds should be planted 1.5” deep. Planting rate same as urad dal at about 10 seeds per feet.
Treflan can be added as fertilizer apart from nitrogen.
Yield can be about 900 kgs. Per acre
Best sowing time: March to June
Harvest Cycle: 3 months.
For both Urad Dal and Moong Dal, excess rainfall could destroy the crop. That is the danger.