Berhampur: Widely used in rituals and celebrations, marigolds have a deep cultural and spiritual connection with Ganjam residents. For 45-year-old Hiramani Reddy of Hinjili and several others in Ganjam, marigold cultivation has emerged as a reliable source of income. Growing African marigold, a hybrid variety, on her half-acre land, she has found it more profitable. "I have made good profit growing it compared to traditional paddy cultivation," she said.
Success Stories of Marigold Farmers
Pandav Sahu (36) from Balasingi village in Chikiti block cultivated high-yielding (HY) yellow marigold on his one acre land. He harvested around 18 quintals of flowers in four months, earning over Rs 1 lakh. The success of these farmers highlights the potential of marigold cultivation as a lucrative alternative to traditional crops.
Support from Agricultural Institutions
Procuring varieties of African marigold seedlings from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Ganjam, of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, around 500 farmers in many blocks have grown the flowers on around 20 hectares last year. "As more farmers are interested, we aim to increase the area to around 30 hectares by December end," said Sujit Kumar Nath, a KVK scientist. He added that they have procured two HY marigolds from the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 2024 and started on an experimental basis in the district.
"After seeing its success, we distributed seedlings among farmers for commercial cultivation and imparted technical training to harvest more flowers," Nath said. The saplings take about 7-10 days to germinate and within 45-50 days, the buds start to appear. By 60-70 days, the plants are in full bloom and ready for harvesting. The flowers are plucked early in the morning to maintain freshness.
Benefits for Small and Women Farmers
This makes marigold cultivation an attractive option for small farmers, especially for women farmers seeking steady returns. The crop requires less water and maintenance compared to paddy, and the demand for marigolds remains high throughout the year due to their use in festivals, weddings, and religious ceremonies. As more farmers adopt this practice, Ganjam is poised to become a significant marigold-producing region in Odisha.
