Nashik farmer cultivates high-nutrient, colourful, hybrid cauliflower

Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], February 13 (ANI): A 42-year-old farmer from Maharashtra's Nashik successfully cultivated a new type of hybrid crop, a coloured cauliflower which has been sold out at worth Rs 16 lakh.
About 70 days ago, the farmer from Nashik purchased newly-developed seeds that have been tested at the Karnal farm in Haryana and the unique seeds have been developed by Syngenta India Ltd in Pune.
Mahindra Nikam, the farmer who purchased these seeds for nearly Rs 40,000, was sowed in 30 guntas at his five-acre farm at Dabhadi village in Nasik's Malegaon Taluka.
"I have cultivated two types of varieties -Valentino which is purple coloured and Caritina the yellow coloured cauliflower. We are getting high demands in most metro cities due to its uniqueness of the colour and its nutrients," said Mahendra who is the only farmer in the state growing this unique vegetable.

"The nutrient value of this hybrid cauliflower is very high. The Anthocyanins content gives anti-bacterial and anti-cancer protection quality to the hybrid cauliflower. Vitamin A content is also at a higher range as compared to the normal conventional cauliflower," he told reporters.
Mahendra further said that Vitamin A is said to be beneficial for eyesight, protection from flu and skincare.
He also informed that his farm had 20,000 kg of purple and yellow cauliflowers and spent approximately Rs 2 lakh for seeds, irrigation, fertilizers and farm labour.
However, the crops have been sold and the approximate earning after the sale of these colorful cauliflowers is Rs 16 lakh - (Rs 80 per kilograms).

Dadaji Bahuse, Krishi Minister Maharashtra's Nashik said, "the colour of cauliflower generally is white, but with the collaboration of some company they grow yellow and purple colour. In this way farmers could develop themselves by such experiment." (ANI)