Need info on Zero budget farming & Intercropping in Banana

[Ramapurfarms]

Hi,

we want to adapt Subhash Palekar’s Zero Budget Farming for our Banana farm. We were advised to grow turmeric and ginger as intercrops for better result.

Can anyone second this and why? Does any one grow this kind of intercrop in South India, especially in Northern part of Karnataka?

Thanks

Vinayak

[saravanakumargcses]

True Vinayak.

I second this opinion recommended to you.

Turmeric and ginger being shade tolerant crops are better suited for multi cropping with Banana.

Regards,

Saravana.

[Ramapurfarms]

Thanks Sir.

I wanted to know if anyone is growing this in South India so that I can talk to/visit them.

rgds.

[sri2012]

I dont remember any mention of Ginger banana intercrop in Sri.Palekars book. But banana is intercroped with cowpea+chilli+Marigold. Another is Marigold+Onion+Cowpea.

PS:I personally hate Ginger crop. The reason is it has made fermers too greedy. It affected me alot. Labours demand twice wages in ginger sowing season, pipes and fittings are sold at high price. Cow manure are in high demand and is sold at premium price… so on.Around me farmers are stopping paddy and starting ginger. in coming days we may have to eat ginger in place of rice.

[Ramapurfarms]

@sri2012

I dont remember any mention of Ginger banana intercrop in Sri.Palekars book. But banana is intercroped with cowpea+chilli+Marigold. Another is Marigold+Onion+Cowpea.

PS:I personally hate Ginger crop. The reason is it has made fermers too greedy. It affected me alot. Labours demand twice wages in ginger sowing season, pipes and fittings are sold at high price. Cow manure are in high demand and is sold at premium price… so on.Around me farmers are stopping paddy and starting ginger. in coming days we may have to eat ginger in place of rice.

We are in touch with a consultant who is following Sri Subhash Palekar’s theory plus his own theory and claims to be successful. I have searched in the internet and found that (as Mr. Saravanan also suggested) intercrop -Banana+Ginger+Turmeric is good. Of course, we have grown Marigold+cowpea, sans Onion.

I didn’t know that ginger is grown that much! Do you suggest to go for turmeric instead, as it has buyers in the form of medicinal companies? I am personally in touch with one such buyer for turmeric.

Thanks for the answers.

[sri2012]

Turmeric is also same story. Selling price is equal to harvesting labour. You can check in your region.

@Ramapurfarms

We are in touch with a consultant who is following Sri Subhash Palekar’s theory plus his own theory and claims to be successful. I have searched in the internet and found that (as Mr. Saravanan also suggested) intercrop -Banana+Ginger+Turmeric is good. Of course, we have grown Marigold+cowpea, sans Onion.

I didn’t know that ginger is grown that much! Do you suggest to go for turmeric instead, as it has buyers in the form of medicinal companies? I am personally in touch with one such buyer for turmeric.

Thanks for the answers.

[cheram]

Hi

I am using the following method after Sri suggested not to go for Arecanut (as its not food iterm).

I have reduced 36 feet between tall coconut tree to 25 feet and planting only Banana in between at a distance of 5 ft.

Regards,
Chetan