please share us about cultivation of betel leaf in India. Betel leaf is highly demanded in Northeast Indian states and most of them are imported from other states. We want to know the cost of cultivating betel leaf and the returns in 1 hectare of lands. Thank you in advance.
Dear sri Asamanipur,
Beetle leaf farming is a good taste of farming and gives good revenue, provided done well. Farmers good attention is required.
good drainage soils are good. Land level must be atleast 6 inch more than the side others lands or we have to increase our land level. organic mannuring is essential, to the extent possible and for good results, for growing the beetle leaf crop. 20 to 25 tractor loads of FYM, 1 to 2 tonnes of neem cake, 250 kgs of ground nut cake , 2 to 4 tonnes of vermi compost added with ( if possible ) 500 kgs of bone powder to be applied per acre and ploughed properly.
Atleast a couple of months before the planting of beetle leaf cuttings planting, shading plants like Agisse, Avisha ( fast growing tree )seeds, drum stick seeds ( 4 months before ) to be sowed and they reach to a height of 5 to 6 ft in this time. then plant, A min of 3 to 6 nodes beetel vine pieces are required and bottom 2 or 3 nodes should be planted in the soil. row to row must be atleast 1 mtr ,in between rows and number of plants to be around 18,000 to 25,000 per acre.
betel leaf growing vines to be tied to the shade plants with jute/banana fibre threads gently. periodical watering to be provided. After maturity the leaves will be harvested , periodically. Necessary mannuring to be done, prefferably organic mannures.
mostly soil born diseases are more and to be controlled, prefferably with bio pesticides and insects to be observed and controlled with neem oil, ,bio insecticides ,to the extent possible.
yields depends on variety of beetle leaf plants. our suggestion is , start farming in a small extend of land initially and increase it on observation and results.
with best wishes, g.p.rao, farmer
Thank You, G.P. Rao ji,
Happy to see your inputs. Can I get more help on where we will get the plants, and manpower to support in establishing betel leaf. As per your suggestions, I would like to start with 1 acre of land.
Regards.
Dear sri Asamanipur,
West Bengal is one of the highest farming state of beetel leaf, farming in india. More popular varieties of beetle leaf plants are grown in huge extent, in west bengal, Andhrapradesh, Tamilnadu etc. You can contact the horticulture dept of the concerned state and collect beetle leaf vine stems @ 20,000 (3 to 6 node vine pieces ) nos per acre.
In the same places , only man power also available. But they may not come and instead, you can deploy your workers their farms and get them trained.
with best wishes, g.p.rao, farmer