Dr Th Renuka Devi and Prof Ph Ranjit Sharma
Contd from previous issue
Its lutein and beta carotene levels have been linked to cognitive brain function retention.
• Phytonutrients found in corn inhibit ACE, lowering the risk of high blood pressure.
What are the advantages of cultivating Sweet Corn?
• Increase in demand as a part of a healthy diet so rated as high value crop
• Being a short duration crop, it can easily fit into any sequential cropping system.
• High Return
How can it be used ?
• Sweet corn can be produced as fresh (green cob), frozen and canned for commercial purposes.
• Sweet corn cob can be eaten boiled, steamed, or grilled whole; the kernels are then eaten directly off the cob or cut off. In Europe and Asia they are often used as a pizza topping or in salads.
• The left over stalk can serve as useful fodder for the livestock
• Creamed corn is sweet corn served in a milk or cream sauce. Sweet corn can also be eaten as baby corn.
• The fresh market accounts for nearly 74 percent of the value of the sweet corn crop in Florida, California, Washington, New York and Georgia and are also the largest producers of sweet corn.
Business plan:
1. Fixed assets required
Adapted area/land : Good fertile soil minimum size of 1 ha
Labor Requirements : 80 mandays right from land preparation upto harvesting
Equipment Requirements : Tractor, shredder, disk, bedder, planter, insect/disease sprayer, cultivator
Soil Requirements : Medium to heavy soils preferred
Water Requirements : Sweet corn needs 20 – 35 acre-inches of water. Critical water peaks are during pre-tassle and kernel fill.
2. Cost of production/ha = Rs. 1,23,900/- (A+B)
A Material cost
Seed : Rs. 21,000/-(6 kg/ha X Rs. 3500/kg seed)
FYM : Rs. 50,000/-(5 tonnes/ha @ Rs.10,000/tone)
Chemical Fertilizers : Rs.10,000/- (at 100:50:40 kg NPK per ha)
PP Chemicals Plus Irrigation cost : Rs. 10,000/-
Sub-Total Rs. 91,000/- (A)
B. Labour cost
Land Preparation (ha) : Rs. 8750/-(25 mandays @ Rs.350/manday)
Sowing : Rs. 7,000/- (20 mandays @ Rs.350/manday)
Weeding &Earthing up : Rs. 8750/- (25 mandays @ Rs.350/manday)
Fertilizer application & Spraying 2 times Rs. 2,800/- (8 mandays @ Rs.350/manday)
Harvesting : Rs. 5,600/-(16 mandays @ Rs.350/manday)
Sub-Total Rs. 32,900/- (B)
Cost of production/ha = Rs. 1,23,900/- (A+B)
3. Expected Gross Return/ha = Rs. 4, 70,000/- for 1 hectare area = Rs. 1, 17,500 for 1 Sangam area
Variety Identified : Golden Cob F1, Honey Max
Gross Sales Proceeds/ha Rs.5, 00,000/- @ Rs. 10/- per cob for 50000 cobs yielded from 50,000 plants (appx.)i.e. 50,000 X Rs. 10/- = Rs. 5,00,000
Selling Expenses/ha Rs. 30,000/-
Net Sales proceeds/ha Gross sales – Selling expenses = 5,00,000–30,000=Rs. 4,70,000/- Net Profit/ha Cost of Production–Net sales Proceeds = 4,70,000– 1,23,000=Rs 3,47,000/- (86,750/sangam)
Profit p.c. (Profit X 100)/Cost of Production = (3,47,000 X100)/1,23,900 = 280.06%
Marketing:
Market Outlets Food service, grocery stores, farmers markets, roadside, pick-your-own
Market Potential Good for local sales of high quality product
Outcome:
* Solving the problem of unemployed youths to some extent
* At least some persons of the total population will have the chance to be exposed to healthy diets
The writers are Associate Professor (Plant Breeding),
COA, CAU, Imphal and Director of Extension Education, Central Agricultural University, Imphal For further details contact:-
Public Relation & Media Management Cell,
CAU, Imphal. Email:
[email protected]