Prayagraj: In an attempt to increase the income of farmers, the state govt is promoting the cultivation of napier grass across UP. The govt also moved to offer lucrative grants to stakeholders. The state govt, under its fodder security policy, has launched a campaign to increase milk productivity per animal along with providing green and dry fodder throughout the year for cattle, sheep, goats, etc., to increase livestock. For this, the state govt is encouraging progressive farmers and fodder-producing organisations to cultivate hybrid Napier grass.Chief veterinary officer (Prayagraj), Dr SN Yadav, said, “In a first, the state govt came with a buy-back scheme in the Prayagraj region, giving a grant of Rs 20,000 per hectare to encourage the cultivation of Napier grass. Under this, the govt will also provide the root of hybrid napier grass to the beneficiaries and then buy it from them at twice the price.” The process of selecting 10 beneficiaries of the district has already started. These beneficiaries can be farmers, farmer producer organisations with nurseries, self-help groups, or people running cowsheds.After buying Napier grass from these beneficiaries, the govt will provide its hybrid roots to farmers to cultivate this napier grass in large quantities. Farmers can use it as green fodder for their cattle. Especially for milk-producing animals, it is no less than green gold because this protein-rich green fodder increases the milk of animals. Dairy owners usually buy dry husk at the rate of Rs 12 per kg, but the cost of production of this green fodder is just 50 paise per kg. Through the plans, farmers can earn thousands of rupees every month by selling it to the owners of dairy farms. Napier grass is a grass that looks like sugarcane and is originally found in Thailand. Napier grass can also be grown on barren land and on the boundaries of fields. Its specialty is that it gets ready in just 20-25 days with the help of water only. About 300-400 quintals of grass are produced from one acre. After harvesting, its branches start growing again automatically. In this way, once planted, it can be produced for ten years. This was the prime reason that it is called a crop of high income at low cost, which becomes economically beneficial for farmers and cattle rearers.
