If you’ve been to the supermarket recently, you’ll see aisles dedicated to organic food. It sounds like a good business idea but starting an organic farm isn’t as simple as it sounds. Unlike conventional farming, running an organic farm means that you cannot use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Organic farming in Gurgaon may be more labour intensive but you have the satisfaction of knowing that your farm is sustainable. The practice is beneficial for the environment and the fruits and vegetables grown are much healthier and fresher. If you’re thinking of starting an organic farm, here are 5 things you need to know.
You need to choose the right site
The key to organic farming is maintaining the virginity of the soil. This means that you must choose a site that has rich soil. Know the soil structure of the land and how it can be transformed to grow healthy plants. The size of the farm depends on your personal capabilities and the type of produce grown. The size of a farm that grows only vegetables would be much smaller than the size of a farm that grows fruit trees. The site should ideally be near a water body to make irrigation simpler. The proximity of the site to the marketplace is also important.
Match the plants to the soil
For a first time organic farmer, growing indigenous crops is the best choice. These crops will already be suited to the landscape and climate of the area and thus are easier to grow. Evaluate the soil’s composition and the resources available to determine the ideal crops for organic farming in Gurgaon. If the farming area is not big enough for the type of crops you want to grow, you can look into farming techniques like container farming, vertical gardening, intercropping, etc. Since chemical fertilizers are not used, an easy way to maintain the nutritive value of your soil is with rotational crop farming. Thus, you also need to match the crops to season.
Understand your market
It is imperative for an organic farmer to know the type of market he is catering to. Know the kind of merchandise and the quantities demanded by your market. For example, if your market has never heard of avocadoes, would it be profitable to start an avocado farm? No! To be successful, you need to grow crops the market around you needs. It is also important to note that since organic farming is more labour intensive, the produce is usually sold at a slightly higher price than commercial farm produce. Thus, you should ensure that your market has the required buying power.
Prepare the compost
Organic compost is a great alternative to chemical fertilizers. It helps maintain the soil’s nutritive value without adding any synthetic elements to it and does not cost anything. Compost is critical to the success of every organic farmer in Gurgaon. To make good compost you need leaf and grass clippings, kitchen waste, manure and microbes. Dig a pit in a corner of the farm and keep layering your compost in it. You may also want to dig a second pit to ensure that your compost processing is continuous. Compost doesn’t just help fertilize soil, it also helps conserve water and fight weeds.
You need to be patient
Having patience is as important as having the right quality seeds for your crops. Organic farming is a long, slow process and change is visible very gradually. You need to be ready to wait it out and work consistently. Your farm will need to be watered every day, it will need to be de-weeded and you’ll also need to add compost to the soil once in a while. Staying optimistic is important too. In addition to this, you need to be ready for set backs. Despite your best efforts, your crop may infected with pests. While you cannot use chemical pesticides, there are a number of organic alternatives you may use.There are a number of on-line tutorials you can watch to learn new ways to fight pests.
Organic farming in Gurgaon is a great business idea as long as you have patience, a good site and the willingness to work on your farm consistently. You also need to know how to market your produce. It’s a good idea to think about creating a webpage and providing doorstep delivery service. Network with people and you could also look at selling your produce through an aggregator’s website and app. Happy farming