Sweet Potato Cultivation: Farmers will earn millions from these improved varieties of sweet potatoes
Sweet Potato Cultivation: Non-traditional farming is becoming more popular among Indian farmers, who are also finding success in it. Sweet potatoes are among the various fruits and vegetables that farmers grow. Although it has more sweetness and starch than potatoes, it tastes and looks like a potato. In addition, sweet potatoes have a high number of vitamins. Consuming it is said to have several health benefits, including promoting hair growth and facial shine. Growing sweet potatoes may help farmers make a healthy profit.
Provide Information on all Important Aspects of Sweet Potato Cultivation
Time Spent Growing Sweet Potatoes
Farmers may harvest sweet potatoes all year round since they are an evergreen crop. However, it is planted in the summer with rain to ensure a big harvest. Plants are planted by farmers from June to August during the Zaid season. Its crop and the Kharif season crop are both ready at the same time. In December or January, farmers plant it after the second paddy harvest.
More Sophisticated Sweet Potato Variations
Despite the fact that there are over 400 different types of sweet potatoes, the majority of farmers in the nation grow the following varieties: Rajendra Sweet Potato 5, Kalmegh, Shri Ratna Cross-4, Sribhadra, Shri Arun, Shri Varun, Shri Vardhini, Shri Nandini, Varsha, Pusa Sunhari, and Pusa Safed. In around 110 to 120 days, these sophisticated sweet potato types will be ready.
Soil and Climate for Growing Sweet Potatoes
The optimum soil for growing sweet potatoes is said to be loamy or clay soil, which is high in organic matter. The pH of the soil should be between 5.8 and 6.7 for its cultivation. The best climates for growing sweet potatoes are temperate and subtropical. For its cultivation, temperatures between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius and rainfall between 75 and 150 cm are ideal.
How to Grow Sweet Potatoes
- The first step in growing sweet potatoes is to use a soil turning plow to plow the land.
- To get rid of the bugs, leftovers from previous crops, and weeds in the soil, let it open for a few days.
- The land now requires 180 to 200 quintals of rotting cow dung manure per hectare.
- After that, use a rotavator to plow the field two or three times to make the soil friable.
- Plants of sweet potatoes are planted as cuttings made at the nursery once the field is suitable.
- The vine is prepared by planting seeds in the nursery, and its plants are ready a month ahead of time.
- After being uprooted and chopped, this vine is planted in the fields.
- The field’s crest is covered with sweet potato plants.
- Its plants should be spaced around one foot apart.
- It is recommended to put sweet potato cuttings up to 20 cm deep.
- It should be completely covered with dirt once the plants have been planted.
- Rows may be planted in beds since it is planted on level ground.
- The spacing between its rows should be maintained at around two feet.
Make Money Growing Sweet Potatoes
You may make a significant amount of money growing enhanced sweet potato cultivars using appropriate farming methods. A yield of around 25 tons may be obtained by growing sweet potatoes on one acre, according to estimates. In the marketplaces, sweet potatoes cost at least Rs 10 per kilogram. You may make over Rs 2.5 lakh if you sell 25 tons of sweet potatoes.