Published in: May 2018
S. Saminathan, a farmer from Madathuppatti in Tirunelveli District, recently earned national recognition for achieving the highest yield in pulses. Last March, at the Krishi Karman Awards in New Delhi, he received the prestigious Krishi Karman Award along with a cash prize of two lakh rupees. We spoke to him about his farming journey and the recent accolade. Here’s what he shared:
“I own two and a half acres of land and lease another three and a half acres from a temple. Since I was a young boy, my father had me tending cattle, so I couldn’t study much. Later on, I committed myself fully to farming. I know nothing else. My wife and I have two children.
I’m always in the fields, and to ensure that farm work is done on time, we’ve moved to stay on the farm itself. At night, we irrigate the fields, clear weeds, and tend to the plants. We rely on well irrigation, but it’s been very dry lately. I dug two bore wells, but one was dry. The other had water, but the rope broke, causing the motor to fall into the well. So water access is a big challenge now.
We used to cultivate bananas, cotton, peanuts, okra, and chilies successfully, employing about 15 laborers daily. Farming was good up until 2016, but now the lack of water has made it tough. Coconut trees have dried up. We once had 250 lemon trees, but now only fifty survive. The jasmine plants we have are our lifeline. We’re also growing some tapioca. Despite the hardships, we continue.
I take pride in doing each farming task thoroughly. I purchase quality seeds and use plenty of natural fertilizers. Every year, I fertilize the rice fields with goat manure. If there’s a pest or disease problem, I consult agricultural officers immediately to protect the crops. My wife is my constant support in all of this, and our continuous hard work was rewarded by the government, who recognized our efforts with an award and a cash prize for the high yield in urad dal.
I always maintain a good relationship with agricultural officials, seeking their advice on seed purchases and crop protection. They help willingly and even visit the fields to give guidance. In 2016, they gave us Vamban 5 black gram seeds to try, so I planted them on one acre.
To prepare, I fertilized the field with goat manure, plowed it well, and used chemical fertilizers like DAP and micronutrients to boost the soil. To prevent seed-borne diseases, I treated the seeds with fungicide for 12 hours and inoculated them with rhizobium bacteria before planting, spacing them carefully.
When the plants grew, I controlled weeds and applied the necessary fertilizers. To prevent yellow mosaic virus, I sprayed the crop with pesticides and Panchagavya. The officials monitored the growth weekly. By flowering time, I applied additional pesticides to control insects and kept the plants hydrated. Typically, we get 30–35 pods per plant, but this time, it went up to 60–65. Officials measured the yield, which reached 1,700 kg per hectare, a remarkable success.
Later, they told me, ‘You achieved the highest yield in pulse farming and will receive a government award.’ They took me to Delhi, where the Prime Minister presented me with the award, the cash prize, and the Krishi Karman Award. I was filled with joy. I’m grateful to the agricultural officers and our persistent efforts for this achievement.”
When S. Saminathan spoke of the award and cash prize as the fruits of his relentless hard work, we were reminded of a Thirukkural verse: “Effort brings accomplishment.”
Saminathan’s Request to the Government
“We have two bore wells on the farm, but one is dry, and the rope broke on the other, trapping the motor inside. This has made irrigation very difficult. I request the government to provide us with a loan through the bank to dig another bore well. If we get this help, I’ll work hard to increase food production and bring pride to Tamil Nadu on a national scale,” he appealed.
Raising a Friend’s Children
“I had a friend who passed away from tuberculosis. His wife has a slight mental disability, so before he died, he asked me to care for his children. He had two, a boy and a girl, who also share a close bond with us. My wife embraced the responsibility wholeheartedly, and we’ve raised them along with our own children. The boy has finished twelfth grade, and the girl is currently in tenth. We’ll continue to support them until they’re set for a good life,” Saminathan said.
Pasumai
