Any Successful farmer will testify to the fact good soil guarantees a healthy beginning from planting to harvest.Therefore it is important farmers understand that farming in poor Soil is a recipe to failure & an invite to a number of complications.
Many vegetables especially Cabbage, Capsicum, Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and the exotic types are heavy feeders and will require plenty of manure in order to grow as expected. As such, it is very important to carry out soil tests before planting anything.
2. Purchasing Poor Quality Seeds
Another top mistakes New Farmers make in vegetables farming is planting of poor quality seeds. The truth is that poor seeds may not grow well or grow at all, some will become stunted if the manage to germinate.
While others may not produce healthy produce at all. Some produce scanty fruits.
Planting of traditional seeds are gradually fading away & improve seeds are coming up. It is advisable that Farmers generally, should go for hybrid seeds.This is because they have good yield
3. Poor Water Management
Just as you need water to survive, Plants also need to water in order to grow healhy.If you are inconsistent or are improperly watering your crop in a manner which may lead to crops not receiving enough water, your crop health will decrease or die.
Therefore Irrigation is very important for vegetable farming especially during dry season. Vegetables are more healthy, fresher during dry season if well irrigated. That is why dry season vegetable farming is the best in terms of commercial purposes.
Farmers that engage in farming this Season make 5 times the profit compare to raining season. It should be noted that vegetables farm are to be irrigated during raining season if there is shortage in rainfall or drought.
Keep in mind that vegetables need just the right amount of watering, over watering may lead to fruits Cracking or leafs dying. Make sure you make a path way for water to flow out after heavy rain or irrigation.
4. Planting too much is not right.
Some farmers in a bid to manage space cluster crop in the farm whereas there should be enough space for plants to breath and receive sunlight.Planting too much seeds/seedlings is a mistakes in vegetable farming. Avoid it at all cost.
5. Inadequate Spacing
Give your plants enough space to breath while you also use the most of the space you have available.
6. Non maintenance Culture
Weeds and alien plants compete with crops for space, water and soil nutrients. Failure to tackle such issues in the early days will lead the weeds overgrowing and eventually covering your crops.
It's understandable that most new vegetable farmers don’t know the actual time to weed the farm.
Another bad mistake in vegetable farming is poor pest or insect management.
6. Ignoring challenges
Lets assume the leaves are becoming yellowish, you should be worried because it may be as a result of many things, such as; lack of a particular nutrient or too much of water intake.
7. Not staking as a common mistake in vegetables farming
Some vegetable plants such as cucumber, pepper, tomatoes require staking for proper fruiting. Ugu may not produce plenty pod if they are not stake.
8. Not Harvesting on time is a common mistake in Vegetables farming
Vegetable crops should be harvested on time, vegetables are harvested at different times depending on the crop. Harvesting cucumber starts from week 6, water melon 75 days if delayed, they fruits will rot.
Conclusion
We are not perfect and as a result we make mistakes but what sets us apart from other farmers is that we learn from those mistakes.
When you are ready to start your Seeds, you can soak your Seeds to get them to germinate quicker. Soaking your Seeds first will allow water to fully penetrate the hull of the seed, nourishing the germ that will bloom into a plant. Seeds get food from the nutrients in the soil once they are planted, but for a good start they need plenty of water. It can be difficult for seeds to take on enough water once they are planted, because soil can wick moisture away from the seeds before the water fully penetrates the seed. Soaking seeds will take care of the problem, by giving your seeds as much water as they can use and store.
Soaking seeds makes your seeds sprout faster, as it fools them into thinking they've been planted longer. When you soak seeds, they take on the same amount of water in just a single day of soaking that would take the seeds up to a week to absorb if they were planted. Soaking seeds speeds up seed germination by making sure that your seeds get their thirst fully quenched before they are submerged in the ground. When they are fully soaked, the seeds behave as thought they've already been planted for days, or even weeks, before you have even put them in your garden. This radically shortens the overall time for seed germination.
To soak your seeds, submerge them in warm water. The water should not be so hot that it is uncomfortable to the touch, as this can shock the seeds, but gentle warmth will help soften the hard outer hull so that water can penetrate the seed more easily. Put your seeds in at least three inches of water for 12 hours, then check to see if they are ready to plant. Note--some of your smaller softer Seeds, like Tomato and Pepper Seeds, can be soaked for just 4 - 6 hours. Be careful, though, because smaller Seeds can clump together and make a mess. We mostly just soak the medium to larger size Seeds, and not the small ones. Some Families will start soaking at bedtime, and then plant in the morning upon waking.
The appearance of the seed is the best way to tell when the seed is ready to plant in the ground. After you've left your seeds in water for 12 hours, check on your soaking seeds and see what they look like.. When a seed has fully absorbed as much water as it needs, it will swell and lighten in color as the hull softens and the inner kernel of the seed absorbs water. When your seeds have swelled to a larger size, feel soft in texture, and appear a few shades lighter in color, it means that the water has fully penetrated the seed. Now, you are ready to plant your seeds, and enjoy fast germination in your garden!
Here is some good information from a survey that Mother Earth News did to learn more about what works, and doesn't, when it comes to limiting insect damage in organic vegetable gardens. They had 1300 gardeners from across the United States respond, so is pretty good. I've included 7 of the top garden pests and info:
1) SLUGS-- took top honors as the most bothersome pest in home gardens, with 55 percent of respondents saying the slimy critters give them trouble year after year. Handpicking was highly rated as a control measure (87 percent success rate), followed by iron phosphate baits (86 percent) and diatomaceous earth (84 percent). Opinion was divided on eggshell barriers (crushed eggshells sprinkled around plants), with a 33 percent failure rate among gardeners who had tried that slug control method. An easy home remedy that received widespread support was beer traps (80 percent success rate).
2) SQUASH BUGS-- had sabotaged summer and winter squash for 51 percent of respondents, and even ducks couldn’t solve a serious squash bug problem. Most gardeners reported using handpicking as their primary defense, along with cleaning up infested plants at season’s end to interrupt the squash bug life cycle. The value of companion planting for squash bug management was a point of disagreement for respondents, with 21 percent saying it’s the best control method and 34 percent saying it doesn’t help.
Of the gardeners who had tried it, 79 percent said spraying neem on egg clusters and juvenile squash bugs is helpful. About 74 percent of row cover users found them useful in managing squash bugs.
3) APHIDS-- were on the watch list of 50 percent of respondents, but the success rates of various control techniques were quite high. Active interventions, including pruning off the affected plant parts and applying insecticidal soap, were reported effective, but so were more passive methods, such as attracting beneficial insects by planting flowers and herbs. Several readers noted the ability of sweet alyssum and other flowers to attract hoverflies, which eat aphids. “We attract a lot of beneficials by planting carefree flowers in the vegetable garden, including calendula, borage, zinnias, cosmos and nasturtiums” (Midwest, more than 20 years of experience).
4) SQUASH VINE BORERS-- had caused problems for 47 percent of the survey respondents. The best reported control methods were crop rotation and growing resistant varieties ofCucurbita moschata, which includes butternut squash and a few varieties of pumpkin. TheC. moschata varieties are borer-resistant because they have solid stems. Interestingly, if you’re attempting to fend off squash vine borers, lanky, long-vined, open-pollinated varieties of summer squash (zucchini and yellow crookneck, for example) may fare better than hybrids, because OP varieties are more likely to develop supplemental roots where the vines touch the ground.
Many gardeners dump soil over these places, so if squash vine borers attack a plant’s main stem, the plant can keep on growing from its backup root system.
5) JAPANESE BEETLES-- Forty-six percent of respondents reported working in the unwelcome company of Japanese beetles, with handpicking being the most popular control method. Some gardeners grow trap crops of raspberries or other fruits to keep Japanese beetles away from plants. Several commonly used interventions — garlic-pepper spray, milky spore disease, pheromone traps and row covers — had high failure rates.
6) TOMATO HORNWORMS-- were of concern to 42 percent of our survey respondents. Bt and handpicking were the preferred control methods, and several folks commented that tomato hornworms are among the easiest garden pests to handpick (probably because they’re large, easy to spot and produce a telltale, pebbly trail). Many gardeners reported seeing tomato hornworms often covered with rice-like cocoons of parasitic braconid wasps. “I had a lot of tomato hornworms this year, but the wasps took them out! Just like in the photos online and in bug books!” (Mid-Atlantic, more than 20 years of experience). Gardeners named zinnias and borage as good companion plants for reducing hornworm problems.
7) CUTWORMS-- were a concern for 41 percent of respondents, and effectiveness ratings for using rigid collars (made from plastic drinking cups or cardboard tissue rolls) to protect young seedlings from damage were amazingly high (93 percent effectiveness rating). A common practice to reduce cutworm damage is to cultivate the soil’s surface once or twice before planting and hope robins and other bug-eating birds will swoop in to gather the juicy cutworms. Big, sturdy seedlings are naturally resistant to cutworms, so many gardeners said they set out seedlings a bit late to avoid cutworm damage.
There are more Garden Pests than listed here, but wanted to list the Top 7 that Families ask about.
Country chicken farming, also known as desi hen farming, has been practiced in India for decades. Local birds are typically raised in backyard poultry. Compared to conventional broiler and layer farming, these birds have historically had a low egg and meat production capability. However, better strains result in a significant performance improvement. The most appealing aspects of country chicken are the modest initial investment and substantial economic returns.
India’s per capita protein intake has been a source of worry for a long time. The cheapest and most readily accessible options are eggs and chicken meat. Traditional country birds produced in an integrated farming sector at the pond bank will provide the nutritional demands of impoverished communities. Farmers will have access to resources for the rest of their life because of this.
Furthermore, rural chicken farming may be combined with fish farming. Water and terrain are entirely used in this manner. The birds that grew up on the pond’s bank will act as fertilizer machines, enriching the pond’s nutritional status and increasing productivity. Integrated farming systems create job opportunities while lowering costs. Despite a tremendous increase in poultry production over the last few decades, rural poultry has mostly stayed the same.
This is because it has been a mostly ignored area. Focusing on diverse areas of parenting, improved management methods, and a scientific approach are the keys to success. This blog post will guide you through the country chicken farming project report or free-range chicken farming project report in India. Find the country/free range chicken farming project report below.
Because of the significant demand for local chicken, the birds and eggs they produce may be sold at any time of year in the local market. Low initial investments combined with better economic returns are a winning combination. The demand for country chicken, often known as ‘Desi Murga,’ in north India and brown egg variation is larger than for other breeds.
The quality and taste of the chicken and eggs are substantially greater if the birds are kept on an organic farm. Because the birds are grown in a stress-free environment, this procedure treats chicken wastes such as droppings, surplus feeds, and other wastes directly as organic manure, increasing crop output.
Unlike other kinds, country chickens do not require complex house preparations since they are tougher and more flexible. The homes must shield the birds from the elements, such as direct sunlight, rain, wind, and cold. During the winter, it should also guard them against frost. The birds are allowed to graze during the day and confined in confinement at night in a free-range rearing scheme.
Houses must be built in the north-south direction, not the east-west direction, to avoid direct sunlight and encourage optimal air circulation. The floor is raised to prevent water from accumulating and creating flood-like conditions. It must be devoid of rat problems and water cracks and be movable so that the dwellings may be moved if necessary. It must also be easy to clean. A bulb must be installed in the ceiling to keep the chicks warm and give them light.
Feed costs are low with country chicken compared to other types of raising because the birds are allowed to scavenge in the open. During scavenging, they collect and eat worms, insects, weeds, household debris, agricultural residue, and leftover grains to meet their daily dietary requirements of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and energy. Rice bran, broken rice, groundnut straw, and so on can be used as a supplement.
They were fed twice daily. The feed is kept for a month during the rainy season to avoid fungal contamination. An extra 30-60 grams of food supply per day might be given to the birds for enhanced performance. The feed is made with rice polish, wheat residue, and fish feed, and maize to provide vitamin, mineral, and salt requirements. The birds are fed typical beginner food for chicks available on the market during their growing period.
During the growing period, the birds are fed drumstick leaves, waste grains, mulberry leaves, and other foods in addition to the scavenged meal. The average body weight after 120 days must be between 1.3 and 2.4 kg. Furthermore, they must be fed modestly throughout the first several weeks to stimulate their eating habit. It also aids in developing skeletal feathers and a strong immune system.
During the first few days, they cannot maintain their body temperature. As a result, additional considerations must be made to preserve body temperature. Brooding is the term for this process.
Local broody chickens are utilized as sitters in natural brooding. All of the necessary nesting materials, as well as food and water, are provided to the hen. Incubation is done with eggs from enhanced varieties. The chicks are left with the mother to scavenge once the eggs hatch. Special arrangements are provided for the baby chicken and her mother in the evenings. At any given moment, a broody hen may look after 12-15baby chickens.
In this situation, no broody hen is employed. Instead, there is a facility for artificial heat to be supplied. Wood, charcoal, kerosene, sawdust, and other heat sources are employed. During the first week, the temperature is kept at 950 °F Fahrenheit. It is lowered by 50°F in the following weeks till the 6th week. In the brooding stage, moderate heat of 2 watts per chick is required.
Beak trimming may seem ludicrous, but it is necessary to prevent feed waste and fights between chickens. The third week is when the beak is trimmed, and roughly a third is removed. The most frequent way of beak trimming is to burn the beak using a hot iron. It stops beak growth by destroying the beak growth tissues. It is important not to burn the tongue during this process.
For country chickens, this is their growing season. With 95 degrees Fahrenheit heat, the hens shed should be able to keep up to 300 chicks. Broken rye, rice, sorghum, and maize can be used as chick feed in this situation. To avoid infections in developing hens, we should inject neo-machine and cephalexin. Furthermore, the drinking water should be warm and free of contaminants.
The feed supplied to the hens throughout this period will determine the chicken’s weight. It’s critical to ensure that a balanced diet provides the proper quantity of protein. The percentage of fiber in the diet should be 8%, and the energy accessible to chicks should be up to 2700 g/calorie.
Methoni should be given to the hens in their seventeenth week, and the chick’s head should be thrown into the water containing permethrin. If the chickens have a respiratory problem, the permethrin should be mixed with water. Cells and other parasites in the chicken’s head will vanish only then. The solution should also be sprayed over the farm’s floor.
In the summer, water is scarce. However, there should be no water scarcity when raising rural hens because the country chickens will die if not fed. They, on the other hand, cannot survive without water. Water is consumed twice as a feeder by hens raised for good weight. Hens do not have a natural gland to remove sweat from their bodies. As a result, the hens’ heat will be absorbed through their breathing. As a result, the hens drink a lot of water in the summer. We can give hens glucose or sugar solution to prevent heatstroke, and their thirst for water may increase.
The ground of the sheds will be cold during the winter. To avoid this, use sawdust on the floor to moderate the ground’s cooling. If the floor is excessively compacted, ammonia gas is produced, which causes eye discomfort in the hens and may result in sickness. As a result, the floor must be kept at a moisture level of 25 degrees.
Detailed Project Reports (DPR) are necessary for poultry farming systems with high outlays. Construction of broiler sheds and equipment purchases, cost of day-old chicks, feed, medication, and labour costs for the first cycle are all issues that require investment or financing.
The State Bank of India (SBI) grants loans up to 75% of the entire cost for this operation and up to Rs 3,00,000 for a 5,000 chicken poultry farm. You may get a loan of up to ten lakh rupees from here. This SBI loan must be repaid in five years. If you cannot repay the loan in five years, you will be offered an additional six months. The government provides up to a 25% subsidy for chicken production. This subsidy is up to 35% for SC/ST class students.
Land development, fencing, water and power, storerooms, transport, bird dressing, and processing are all factors that might be considered when granting credit. Borrowers can use the services of NABARD Consultancy Services for high-value projects since they have extensive expertise in preparing Detailed Project report
Country/Free Range Chicken Farming Project Report: Business
Plan, Project Proposal, and Profit Calculator
Investment Analysis
Number of birds
1000
Birds considered for selling
950
Mortality rate
5%
Floor space per bird (sq. ft)
1 sq. ft
Cost of construction of shed (Rs/sq. ft)
150
Cost of construction of storeroom (Rs/sq. ft)
200
Cost of equipment (Rs. per bird)
20
Cost of day-old chick (Rs. per bird)
30
Feed requirement per bird (Kg)
4kg
Cost of feed (average price Rs. per kg)
40
Medicines, vaccines (Rs/bird)
5
Labor charges (per person per month)
10,000
Live weight of the bird (Kg per bird)
1.8
Sale price (Rs. per bird)
550
Value of manure per bird sold (Rs. per bird)
1.00
Interest on a bank loan (% per annum)
14%
Rearing period (weeks)
8
Cleaning period of a shed
10-15 days
Investment Analysis
Number of birds
1000
Birds considered for selling
950
Mortality rate
5%
Floor space per bird (sq. ft)
1 sq. ft
Cost of construction of shed (Rs/sq. ft)
150
Cost of construction of storeroom (Rs/sq. ft)
200
Cost of equipment (Rs. per bird)
20
Cost of day-old chick (Rs. per bird)
30
Feed requirement per bird (Kg)
4kg
Cost of feed (average price Rs. per kg)
40
Medicines, vaccines (Rs/bird)
5
Labor charges (per person per month)
10,000
Live weight of the bird (Kg per bird)
1.8
Sale price (Rs. per bird)
550
Value of manure per bird sold (Rs. per bird)
1.00
Interest on a bank loan (% per annum)
14%
Rearing period (weeks)
8
Cleaning period of a shed
10-15 days
One Time Capital Cost
Construction of shed (1000 SQ. FT @ Rs.150/sq. ft)
1,50,000
Storeroom – 300 sq. ft @ Rs.200/sq. ft
60,000
Cost of the water supply system
41,000
Equipment cost
20,000
Total
2,71,000
Running Cost (Yearly)
Particulars
Capital required (in lakh)
Cost of day-old chicks
30,000
Feed cost
1,60,000
Medicines, vaccines, and others
5,000
Labor cost(2 persons)
20,000
Electricity charges
15,000
Total
2,30,000
Grand
total = Capital cost + Recurring cost = 5,01,000
Bank Loan Details
Total
5,01,000
Bank loan (75%)
3,75,750
Own contribution
1,25,250
Profit Margin
Income
Amount (in rupees)
Sale of birds
5,50,000
Sale of manure
1,000
Total
5,51,000
Expenditure(1st year)
1,25,250
Expenditure (2nd year)
2,00,000
Profit (1st year)
4,25,750
Profit (2nd year)
3,51,000
Bank Loan Repayment Schedule
Year
Loan (in rupees)
Gross surplus (in rupees)
Interest (in rupees)
Principal (in rupees)
Total repayment (in rupees)
Surplus (in rupees)
Balance outstanding loan (in rupees)
1
3,75,750
4,25,750
52,605
75,150
1,27,755
2,97,995
3,00,600
2
3,00,600
3,51,000
42,084
75,150
1,17,234
2,33,766
2,25,450
3
2,25,450
3,51,000
31,563
75,150
1,06,713
2,44,287
1,50,300
4
1,50,300
3,51,000
21,042
75,150
96,162
2,54,838
75,150
5
75,150
3,51,000
10,521
75,150
85,671
2,65,329
0
Disclaimer: The
figures above are completely hypothetical, and they are just assumed (not
proven) to yield outstanding results in practice. Any inaccuracies in this
project, as well as any decisions or actions taken as a result of utilizing
this site, are not our responsibility.
