Hathras: Om Prakash, a marginal farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, has switched from cauliflower to Broccoli cultivation which is yielding him good results. Broccoli, which is similar to cauliflower and cabbage cultivation, is making Prakash earn lakhs of rupees in a month.
Prakash says that broccoli has a high nutritional value and is sold at Rs 60 per kilo in the market.
Broccoli is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and rich in vitamins and also helps prevent cancer.
Om Prakash said, "I brought the Broccoli seeds from Noida and planted them. Broccoli plant yields many flowers as compared to cauliflower and I sell it in local mandis at Rs 40 to 60 per kg. I am able to make good profits and am planning to plant more plants the next year."
A progressive farmer, Prakash has always actively participated in agricultural programmes of the government where he learnt about the pros of broccoli cultivation. He even went to attend special seminars and workshops on broccoli cultivation in Haryana and Noida.
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Farmer representatives have also backed broccoli cultivation saying that it is helping the farmers to earn profits.
H.N. Singh, a farmer leader, said, "Broccoli cultivation is similar to cauliflower and cabbage but the former has a high nutritional value. It has a high demand in the market, especially in hotels and restaurants. People from abroad mostly prefer broccoli and we have a good market in Delhi. We want more and more farmers to take up broccoli cultivation to make profits."
He said if the government helped set up a good market at the local levels in the state, then more farmers could take up broccoli cultivation, which would improve their socio-economic condition by many folds.
