Vegetable Cultivation With Pandals-AP

Vegetable Cultivation with Pandals
Background & Objectives
India’s diverse soil and climate, comprising several agro-

ecological regions, make it conducive to grow a wide variety of
horticulture crops comprising of fruits, vegetables, root and tuber
crops, flowers, ornamental plants, medicinal and aromatic plants,
spices, condiments, plantation crops and mushrooms, which form a
significant part of aggregate agricultural produce.
Cultivation of horticultural crops provides an important source

of livelihood and generates substantial employment on account of
being labour- intensive for the rural population of India. Fruits and
vegetables are also rich source of vitamins, minerals, proteins,
carbohydrates, etc., which are essential to ensure nutritional
security of the people. Thus, cultivation of horticultural crops plays
a vital role in the prosperity of a nation and promotes the health
and happiness of its people.
India is next only to China in vegetable production with an

annual production of 87.53 million tons from 5.86 million hectares,
which is 14.4% of the world production. Adoption of high yielding
cultivars and FI hybrids and suitable production technologies has
largely contributed to higher production and productivity. With
changes in incomes and consumption patterns, demand for
vegetables has also increased, with per capita consumption of
1
vegetables increasing from 95 grams to 175 grams per day over the
last decade. More than 40 kinds of vegetables belonging to different
groups, namely cucurbits (cucumber, gourd, bitter melon,
pumpkin), Cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, turnip),
solanaceous (eggplant, pepper, tomato, chilli), root and leafy
vegetables are grown in different agro-climatic situations of the
country.
Andhra Pradesh being endowed with diversified agro-climatic

conditions has a vibrant horticulture sector which has been
identified as one of the growth engines for increasing overall
agriculture growth. Andhra Pradesh produces 4% of the country’s
vegetable production with the area under vegetable production
increasing steadily since last two decades. Small and marginal
farmers account for 83 per cent of land holdings and 46% of
operated area in Andhra Pradesh as per agriculture statistics of the
Department of Agriculture in the state. Irrigation covers 35% of net
sown area while the remaining 65% of net sown area is rain-fed.
The agricultural production system in the state of Andhra Pradesh
is multi-cropped with diversified systems of both agricultural and
horticultural crops, separately and together. The state has an area
of 203 thousand hectares under vegetables cultivation with a
production of around 3.4 million tons in 2009-10.
Andhra Pradesh took up a major programme under Rashtriya

Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to boost production of the major
horticulture crops across the State. The intervention comprised of
construction of permanent pandals and trellises for protected
cultivation of horticulture crops through a cluster approach, duly
considering local agro-climatic conditions/needs/crops/priorities,
and providing market linkages for ensuring remunerative prices to
the farmers. Boosting the horticulture sector would not only ensure
additional income to farmers but also meet the demands of
changing nutritional requirements of the people.
2
Intervention
The major vegetables grown in the state are tomato, onion,

tapioca, brinjal and okra. The main vegetables grown across
different production clusters are shown in the table below:
Cultivation of these vegetables was adopted in a

cluster approach in 232 potential mandals of various
districts. Thereafter, producers’ hubs and collection centers
to support the farmers in the entire value chain was
systematically developed to ensure reasonable price for
their produce.
The Department of Horticulture introduced the system

of cultivation of vegetables on pandals, both permanent
and semi-permanent to increase productivity of twining
vegetables and trellis system for indeterminate type of
tomato hybrids in 2008-09 under RKVY Programme.
In general, such vegetables need proper support for

their growth and development. Pandals/trellises are special
structures used for twining vegetables. The weak climbers
utilize this support, which protects the produce from
soiling and increases exposure to sunlight and aeration,
thereby increasing the number of flower buds, ultimately
resulting in more fruit of superior size and quality.
In the 3 years from 2008-09 to 2010-11, permanent

pandals were erected for gourd clusters covering 4696
3
acres at 50% assistance not exceeding Rs 6000 per acre, at
a total cost of Rs 17.46 crores benefitting more than 5200
farmers. For tomatoes, trellises were set up 2844 acres
with 50% subsidy, not exceeding Rs 7500 per acre,
covering almost 3200 farmers at a cost of Rs 2.20 crores.
Outcome
On an average, farmers have realized yield of 30

T/acre of tomatoes by growing under trellis method, with
added advantage of superior quality of the crop. Through
semi permanent pandals the yield of gourds recorded per
acre is 11.25 metric tonnes; on an average, additional yield
of 2.5 T/acre has been obtained in comparison to normal
method. The fruit colour and quality is also improved,
making it less susceptible to pests.
This intervention has helped in increasing vegetable

production of the State, which has increased from 53.11
Metric Tonnes in 2007-08 to 61.60 Metric Tonnes in 2010-
11.
Case Study
Name of the Farmer: Akkabatla Veera Ganeswararao
Village and Mandal : Penakanimetta Savaram, Kovvur.
District : West Godavari District
Crop : Tomato
Area : 1 acre
Subsidy Pattern : 50% subsidy, not exceeding
Rs.7500/acre.
4
The farmer earlier
used to grow tomato
hybrid varieties
through traditional
methods and over a
period, realized lesser
profits, and waited for
an opportunity to
access the latest technologies to multiply the net profits. At
this juncture the Horticulture department took him to
Raipur for an exposure visit on trellis method of cultivation
of vegetables during 2008-09. This motivated him to adopt
trellis method to grow tomato crop over an area of 1 acre in
his land.
The farmer was provided with a subsidy of Rs.7500per

acre to meet the expenditure for erection of trellis and he
was encouraged to install drip irrigation to further increase
yields. Subsequently, by using fertigation he has not only
increased efficiency of fertilizer usage and minimized the
cost on fertilizers, but also benefitted on account of saving
time and labour.
The farmer today is satisfied

with the harvest of 15 T/acre by
cultivating tomato with trellis
method, as against his earlier
yield of 7-8 T/acre under the
traditional method.
His gross income is Rs.1.40

lakhs, with the expenditure of Rs.70, 000/- incurred
5
towards cultivation and installation of Drip Irrigation
System. The net income is Rs.70,000/acre. The farmer has
expressed his confidence to increase the net returns in the
ensuing seasons, when he would no longer have burden of
paying for the installation of drip irrigation system.
The farmer today is a role model to other farmers for

taking up modern technology and cultivation methgods.
Case study
Name of the Farmer: Chukka Sambashiva Rao
Village : Gundavaram
Mandal : Chebrolu, Guntur District
Crop : Bottle gourd
Area : 1 acre
Subsidy : Rs. 30,000
Under RKVY scheme by erecting of semi-permanent

pandals, the farmer cultivated bottle gourd in an area of 1
6
acre in 2009-10. The total cost incurred by the farmer was
Rs.65835 towards various components like bamboo poles,
G.I. pipes, twine, etc., required for erection of semi-
permanent pandals. The growth of bottle gourd vines was
luxuriant and promoted vigorous flowering. The yield
recorded per acre is 11.25 T/acre, with an average increase
in yield of 2.25 T/acre in comparison to normal method in
the previous years. The farmer can maintain the semi-
permanent pandals for a minimum period of three years,
cultivating 3 crops per year on the same structures. Even
though the erection charges are more in initial stages,
substantial net profit will accrue in the next two crops.

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Vegetable Cultivation with Pandals

Background & Objectives

India’s diverse soil and climate, comprising several agro-

Cultivation of horticultural crops provides an important source

India is next only to China in vegetable production with an

Andhra Pradesh being endowed with diversified agro-climatic

Andhra Pradesh took up a major programme under Rashtriya

The major vegetables grown in the state are tomato, onion,

Cultivation of these vegetables was adopted in a

The Department of Horticulture introduced the system

In general, such vegetables need proper support for

In the 3 years from 2008-09 to 2010-11, permanent

On an average, farmers have realized yield of 30

This intervention has helped in increasing vegetable

The farmer was provided with a subsidy of Rs.7500per

The farmer today is satisfied

His gross income is Rs.1.40

The farmer today is a role model to other farmers for

Under RKVY scheme by erecting of semi-permanent

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