Posted by Fava bean (Vicia Faba) is a versatile leguminous crop that can grow in different climatic conditions and soil types. It is a nitrogen-fixing plant that can improve soil fertility and crop rotation. India grows fava beans majorly in the Northern states as a rabi crop in plains and during rainy season as Kharif in hilly and mountainous regions. It can be used as a vegetable, a seasoning, or a low-fat snack. The government MSP for Fava bean in Uttar Pradesh is Rs. 40 per kg of dry seeds for consumption and Rs. 50 per kg for seeds. This may seem like a decent price and it is for most farmers. Considering the minimal effort required for cultivation of Fava bean, the profit seems quite good.
An Insight on Fava Business
But… How can you increase the profit on Fava cultivation? If you look at things from a business perspective rather than a farmer’s perspective, the factors of profit come down to the pairing of reduced overhead costs and increased production. So let’s see how to increase production in our blog here.
According to a study, the average productivity of Fava bean per hectare in India is 2.12 ton. The potential productivity of Fava bean in India can reach up to 5 ton/ha. Clearly something is very wrong when you produce less than half of the potential yield! Increasing yield in Fava cultivation to the potential level alone will give Indian farmers an advantage of more than 100% in their income.
So why is India’s productivity in Fava cultivation lower than the potential level? How do we farmers rectify this huge gap in productivity? What are ICAR and other research bodies doing to help farmers improve yield in Fava cultivation? Are there any farmers in India who are producing close to the potential level of 5 ton/ha? Are they doing it consistently? Has the weather, soil condition or nature had any role in lower production of Fava bean in India? These are a lot of questions and they need to be looked at carefully and answered in detail before we move forward.
Types of Fava
It is important that Farmers adopt new varieties to increase yield. The latest development in the field of Fava bean has advanced and improved over the past few years. The ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) has introduced several varieties of Fava bean in recent years. Some of them are ‘Pusa Uday’, ‘Pusa Sheetal’, ‘Pusa Himani’, and ‘Pusa Shweta’.
Many of these varieties are still not cultivated widely. Farmers are still growing Fava bean varieties that were developed decades ago!
New varieties are tested to be resistant to various pests and diseases apart from high yield. Since these Fava beans are developed by ICAR, a government body, Fava bean can be sold to the government at the MSP. You can always increase your Yield and thus the profit per hectare by switching to improved varieties. Expect at least 100% increase in Yield per hectare which adds up to 100% more in income.
Farming Fava
Fava beans can either grow as a sole crop, an intercrop, a mixed crop or even a guard or border crop in eastern India. The total production of fava beans in India was 4.2 million tonnes in 2010, which was higher than the global average. The farming process is fairly simple, you should be able to accomplish it with a Mini Tractor as well. In this article, we will explore how to grow fava beans in your farms below:
Climate for Cultivation
Fava beans can grow across a wide geographical area. Fava beans can tolerate drought and frost to some extent. They are often used as winter cover crops or green manures because they can fix atmospheric nitrogen and improve soil fertility. Climate change, especially increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as droughts and storms, affects fava beans.
Ideal Soil for Cultivation
Sandy loam soil and black soil are considered the best for fava bean cultivation, but they can grow in a wide range of soils. Slightly saline soil with neutral pH is also suitable for fava bean cultivation, which makes it a preferred crop where water salinity is a problem. Fava beans do not grow well in acidic, alkaline or waterlogged soils. In hard soils, one deep ploughing followed by two or three harrowing and planking are sufficient.
Land Preparation
The land should be free from weeds and ploughed twice with a disc harrow. The field should be levelled properly to avoid waterlogging. Fava beans can grow in slightly saline soil, but not in acidic, alkaline or waterlogged soil. For irrigated areas, the field should be prepared after pre-sowing irrigation. Farmers should plant in raised beds to improve drainage and aeration.
Planting
80 kg of seed is recommended per hectare of fava bean cultivation. The seed rate may vary depending on the variety and the planting method. Consult the seed vendor or agricultural universities for the appropriate seed rate and variety.
Harvesting
Harvesting fava beans starts at the end of winter and continues till early spring. The crops should be harvested when the pods are fully filled and start to turn brown. The moisture content of the seeds is approximately 15% during harvest and with lower moisture content, the seeds tend to shatter due to dryness.
Post Harvest
Depending on the purpose of the crop, the seeds are stored or transported immediately. For fava beans grown for human consumption, the seeds should be dried to 10% moisture content and stored in a dry area away from humidity. Fava beans are hygroscopic and can absorb moisture from the air and spoil. For fava beans grown for green manure, the plants are ploughed back into the soil after harvest to enrich it with nitrogen.
Conclusion
Based on everything that was covered in this blog, we’re sure that you would have gotten an idea about how economically viable and easy to farm fava beans are. Armed with this knowledge, now you can plant fava beans in your farm with ease. Make sure that you invest in a good tractor. Research on the Agriculture Tractor Price before getting into investing so that you’re not caught unaware.