A simple but highly successful story of organic farming

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Prakash Kulkarni stands beside a drum containing the Gokrupamruta bacterial culture on his farm in Honnihal village of Belagavi district. | Photo Credit: P.K. BADIGER
Special Correspondent http://ceesty.com/edKARNATAKA
BELAGAVI AUGUST 02, 2022 19:40 IST
UPDATED: AUGUST 02, 2022 19:40 IST
Prakash Organics of Honnihal village, Belagavi district, has created a niche market for itself
Anuradha Kulkarni insists that visitors have tea before they take a tour of her family farm in Honnihal village. Once they have had a sip of the tea, they understand why. It is made from organic jaggery produced in their backyard Gana, the jaggery plant, and of course, the thick milk comes from the buffaloes in the cattle shed.
The modest house of the Kulkarni couple in the middle of the farm does not reflect the success they have had as organic farmers. Over the years, Prakash Organics has built its own brand and a niche market in organic food items. It sells over 10 tonnes of organic jaggery a year, apart from cold press turmeric powder and pastes, the local scented rice called Belgaum Basmati, unpolished Sona Masuri rice and Soya bean, and some fruits and vegetables.
The formula behind our success is simple. Adopt organic farming, produce quality products and build your own brand that consumers trust. That is all,’’ explains Prakash Kulkarni, the farmer behind the brand.
However, this was not built in a day. Prakash Kulkarni had to quit their studies and become a full-time farmer while he was still in high school. For over 20 years, he practised in organic farming. “Then one day, my friends organised a workshop by Subhash Palekar, a natural farming proponent in Yamakanamaradi village. I attended the day-long event and I was hooked,’’ he said.
Despite discouraging feedback from well-wishers and friends, he decided to go organic. It took him three years to adopt organic methods on his 20-acre farm. Fellow organic farmers in the district got together to form an Organic Farmers Club. For some years, the club organised workshops and set up a common market. But it lost steam during the lockdown.
“Organic farming may have become a recent fad. But we were early adopters. My farming is the no-frills approach to organic farming. Most of my inputs are made on the farm,’’ Prakash Kulkarni says. The only things he gets from outside are 30 tractor loads of compost, seeds or saplings developed by universities or inventors and of course, the Gokrupamruta bacterial culture developed by Gopalbhai Sutariya of Bansi Gir Goshala.
“The Gokrupamruta culture is mixed with buttermilk and jaggery and diluted with water. This is used in fertigation of the soils for four years before the culture is bought afresh,’’ the farmer explains. According to him, this is easier to prepare compared to the Jeevamruta advocated by Mr Palekar.
The Gokrupamruta culture is mixed with buttermilk and jaggery and diluted with water. This is used in fertigation of the soils for four years before the culture is bought afresh,’’ the farmer explains. According to him, this is easier to prepare compared to the Jeevamruta advocated by Mr Palekar.
“The initial years were hard,’’ says Anuradha Kulkarni. “We went door to door explaining the benefits of our products over those bought in the market.
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