Farmers in Bhadauna village, Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, are learning to cultivate distinctive varieties of turmeric — including black turmeric, kasturi turmeric, lakadong turmeric, as well as traditional turmeric — through sustainable organic farming methods. This hands-on training covers everything from land preparation, seed selection, planting, irrigation, to post-harvest processes such as curing, drying, packaging, and marketing.
Leading this initiative is Utkrishit Pandey, a former Assistant Commandant of the Shastra Seema Bal (SSB), who has adopted and is imparting organic farming techniques learned from an institute in Karnataka. Pandey’s seven-acre farm serves as a practical model for farmers from several districts across Uttar Pradesh to acquire skills that reduce input costs while improving income and soil health.
Pandey explained that growing these unique turmeric varieties organically takes around eight to nine months. One of the vital practices includes the use of natural manure sourced from cow urine and dung collected locally. This approach aims not only to increase farmers’ earnings but also to promote biodiversity and eco-friendly farming practices that restore soil fertility.
“We are also cultivating and promoting ‘kala namak’ rice — a heritage variety from eastern Uttar Pradesh — alongside these turmeric varieties,” Pandey said. The organic farming focus is widely embraced by the majority of farmers in the region, who have reported improved living standards as a result.
This initiative represents a broader movement toward sustainable agriculture in the state, enhancing the production of high-value crops through traditional yet scientifically guided organic methods, which appeal to both domestic and niche markets for organic turmeric products. Farmers in Bhadauna village of Pratapgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, are gaining hands-on training in organic farming for unique turmeric varieties, including black turmeric, kasturi turmeric, lakadong turmeric, and traditional turmeric. Under the guidance of former SSB official Utkrishit Pandey, who learned organic cultivation techniques from a Karnataka-based institute, farmers are mastering sustainable methods covering land preparation, seed selection, planting, irrigation, and post-harvest processes like curing, drying, packaging, and marketing.
Pandey, devoted to promoting eco-friendly farming that reduces input costs and supports soil health, emphasized the cultivation of these special turmeric varieties alongside ‘kala namak’ rice, a heritage crop from eastern UP. He noted that organic turmeric cultivation takes about eight to nine months and relies on natural manures such as cow urine and dung sourced locally.
This initiative not only helps farmers improve their incomes but also nurtures a sustainable agricultural system that protects the environment and restores soil fertility. The adoption of organic turmeric farming is rising steadily among local farmers, contributing to better living standards and opening opportunities in niche organic produce markets.
