AGRI(Turmeric)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C, and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive. Plants are gathered annually for their rhizomes, and re-seeded from some of those rhizomes in the following season.

The rhizomes are boiled for several hours and then dried in hot ovens, after which they are ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in curries and other South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, for dyeing, and to impart color to mustard condiments. Its active ingredient is curcumin and it has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavor and a mustardy smell.

In medieval Europe, turmeric became known as Indian Saffron, since it was widely used as an alternative to the far more expensive saffron spice.urmeric grows wild in the forests of Southeast Asia. It has become the key ingredient for many Indian, Persian, Thai and Malay dishes, not only in curry, but also in masak lemak, rendang and many more.

In Indonesia, the turmeric leaves are used for Minangese or Padangese curry base of Sumatra such as rendang, sate padang and many other varieties.

Although most usage of turmeric is in the form of root powder, in some regions (especially in Maharashtra), leaves of turmeric are used to wrap and cook food. This usually takes place in areas where turmeric is grown locally, since the leaves used are freshly picked. This imparts a distinct flavor.

In non-South Asian recipes, turmeric is sometimes used as an agent to impart a rich, custard-like yellow color. It is used in canned beverages and baked products, dairy products, ice cream, yogurt, yellow cakes, orange juice, biscuits, popcorn color, sweets, cake icings, cereals, sauces, gelatins, etc.[citation needed] It is a significant ingredient in most commercial curry powders. Turmeric is mostly used in savory dishes, as well as some sweet dishes such as the cake Sfouf.

Although usually used in its dried, powdered form, turmeric is also used fresh, much like ginger. It has numerous uses in Far Eastern recipes, such as fresh turmeric pickle which contains large chunks of soft turmeric.

Turmeric (coded as E100 when used as a food additive)[5] is used to protect food products from sunlight. The oleoresin is used for oil-containing products. The curcumin/polysorbate solution or curcumin powder dissolved in alcohol is used for water-containing products. Over-coloring, such as in pickles, relishes, and mustard, is sometimes used to compensate for fading.

In combination with annatto (E160b), turmeric has been used to color cheeses, yogurt, dry mixes, salad dressings, winter butter and margarine. Turmeric is also used to give a yellow color to some prepared mustards, canned chicken broths and other foods (often as a much cheaper replacement for saffron).

Turmeric is widely used as a spice in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. Many Persian dishes use Turmeric, for the coloring of rice bottoms as well as a starter ingredient for almost all Iranian fry ups (which typically consist of oil, onions and turmeric followed by any other ingredients that are to be included). In Nepal, turmeric is widely grown and is extensively used in almost every vegetable and meat dish in the country for its color as well as for its medicinal value. In South Africa turmeric is traditionally used to give boiled white rice a golden color.
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Erode, a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the world's largest producer and most important trading center of turmeric in Asia. For these reasons, Erode in history is also known as "Yellow City"[citation needed] or "Turmeric City".[citation needed] Sangli, a town in the southern part of the Indian western state of Maharashtra, is the second largest and most important trading center for turmeric in Asia.

Construction of a Polyhouse

The polyhouses are constructed with the help of ultraviolet plastic sheets, so that they may last for more than 5 years. The structure is covered with 1501 m thick plastic sheet. The structure is prepared with the bamboos or iron pipes. Iron pipe structure is costly but more durable than bamboo.

Generally the length of the polyhouse is 25-30 feet and width 4-5 feet. The direction of polyhouse is always East to West, so that the maximum sunshine is available. The house should not be constructed in shade. The size of polyhouse may differ depending on the necessity. The polyhouses are kept cold or hot depending upon the season.

Use of Polyhouses:

From the point of view of earning more profit only such off-season crops should be grown, which are being sold at higher prices in the market. Big hotels in cities are mostly in the need of off-season vegetables and so is the case with some prosperous people in big cities. In such areas and also in the hill and remote regions where fresh vegetables are required regularly for meeting out the requirements of security forces, the construction of polyhouses is more lucrative and is a must.

The crops grown under the polyhouse are safe from unfavourable environment and hailstorm, heavy rains or scorching sunshine, etc. Crops of the polyhouse can be saved from birds and other wild animals. The humidity of polyhouse is not adversely affected by evaporation resulting in less requirement of water. In limited area of polyhouse, insects and pests control is also easy and less expensive.

By adopting the modern technology of polyhouse, the difference in the demand and supply of off-season vegetables and fruits etc. can be minimised. This facilitates in maintaining the quality of the product also.

Heating of Polyhouse

Heating is required in winter season. Generally, the solar energy is sufficient to maintain inner temperature of polyhouse but some times more temperature is required to be supplied to some crops. For this few methods are as follows:

1. Constructing a tunnel below the earth of poly house.
2. Covering the northern wall of the house by jute clothing.
3. Covering whole of the polyhouse with jute cloth during night
4. Fitting solar energy driven device in polyhouse.

Cooling of Polyhouse

In summer season, when ambient temperature rises above 400C during day time the cooling of polyhouse is required by the following measures, not only the temperature but also relative humidity of polyhouse can also be kept within limit.

1. Removing the internal air or polyhouse out of it in a natural manner.
2. Changing the internal air into external air by putting the fan on.
3. Installation of cooler on eastern or Western Wall not only keeps temperature low but maintains proper humidity also.
4. Running water-misting machine can control the temperature of the polyhouse.

Important Agricultural Crop of Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture is the backbone of the economic structure of Andhra Pradesh. Most of the people of the state are cultivators who earn their living by cultivating the lands of their forefathers. In order to increase the production of the agricultural goods, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has established a separate "Department of Agriculture" to extend a helping hand to the farmers of the state. The department imparts modern technical knowledge to the farmers to enhance the agricultural productivity.
Andhra Pradesh is blessed with a suitable weather to produce varieties of crops. The farmers of Andhra Pradesh practice multiple cropping pattern to increase the growth of the agricultural production.

Some of the important crops that are grown in abundance in the state are:

* Rice- Andhra Pradesh had produced 12458 tonnes of rice
* Wheat- The state had cultivated 8000 tonnes of wheat
* Jowar- The state had produced 619 (in thousand) tonnes of Jowar
* Bajra-Andhra Pradesh had grown 149 (in thousand) tonnes of Bajra
* Maize- The state had grown 1581 tonnes of Maize
* Minor Millets-Andhra Pradesh had produced 39 (in thousand) tonnes of Minor Millets
* Coarse Grain- The state had grown 2508 tonnes of Coarse Grain (All the figures are of the year 2000-2001)

Andhra Pradesh also produces other important cash crops like Groundnut, Pulses, Castor, Sunflower, Cotton, Oilseeds, and Sugarcane which helps the state to earn huge amounts of revenue.

The Department of Agriculture under the Government of Andhra Pradesh plays a pivotal role in improving the production and quality of agricultural goods of India. Apart from enlightening the farmers on the various modern techniques of producing crops, the Department of Agriculture also provides high yielding seeds, fertilizers and pesticides to the farmers.

Maharashtra Agri Sector

Maharashtra Government initiatives are very unique to make agriculture, horticulture, agribusiness, Food Processing industry highly competitive and successful in the country. Similarly Maharastra farmers are very enterprising and hard working and make agriculture a viable business.

We all know many success stories of the Maharashtra farmers. (which will be carried in the coming issues) We have contacted the agriculture department to know more about their new initiatives to make success of the agrisector in the State. When the agriculture Minister’s office is contacted they were so forthcoming to come out with their various new schemes and strategies.

Here we publish the answers we received from the Minister’s Office for our questions on account of Maharashtra agriculture developments which shows the way to other States .
1.How do you rank Maharashtra agriculture progress with other states?
Maharashtra is richly endowed with outstanding agricultural research and educational institutions both in the public and private sectors. It has diverse agro climatic and soil conditions.

Maharashtra has always taken an initiative in adopting new technologies.
The farm families are hard working and innovative. Given a proper synergy between technology and public demand, rapid progress can be made in improving the productivity, profitability, stability and sustainability of major farming systems of the state, as is evident from Maharashtra’s horticultural revolution.

Technological Evolution

* Originally fields were cleared of weeds and prepared for planting by hand at great effort, using primitive hoes or digging sticks

* The invention of the scratch plow (also called 'plough') about 6,000 years ago was a great labor-saving device for humans - the beginning of systematic substitution of other forms of energy, in this case animal power, for human muscles

* The Muslim Farmers in North Africa and the Near East of the Medieval world are credited with inventions of extensive irrigation based on hydraulic and hydrostatic principles such as norias, water mills, water raising machines, dams and reservoirs



* The Renaissance saw the innovation of the three field system of crop rotation and wide spread usage of the moldboard plow

* The early phase of Industrial Revolution witnessed new agricultural practices like enclosure, mechanization, four-field crop rotation and selective breeding

* The science-driven innovations of 19th and 20th centuries led to the mechanization of the cultivation, i.e. the use of tractors.

Indian Agriculture in Independent India

he early years of Independence witnessed accentuation on the development of infrastructure for scientific agriculture. The steps taken included the establishment of fertilizer and pesticide factories, construction of large multi-purpose irrigation-cum-power projects, organization of community development and national extension programmes and, above all, the starting of agricultural universities as well as new agricultural research institutions across the length and breadth of the country. However, the growth in food production was inadequate to meet the consumption needs of the growing population which necessitated food imports.

Green Revolution
Policy makers and planners, in order to address the concerns about national independence, security, and political stability realized that self-sufficiency in food production was an absolute prerequisite. This perception led to a program of agricultural improvement called the Intensive Agriculture District Programme (IADP) and eventually to the Green Revolution. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) was set up. All these steps led to a quantum jump in the productivity and production of crops.

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