Cow protection society makes agriculture foray

Sri Vijayawada Cow Protection Society, which has been spearheading a campaign to protect cows in coastal Andhra from 1927, has entered agriculture sector by manufacturing organic fertilisers, manures and pesticides with cow dung, urine, milk, ghee and curd.

Emboldened by the feedback given by hundreds of farmers, including those of fish, prawn and poultry segments, on the efficacy of its products, the society is now planning to introduce cosmetics and medicines made from cow products for livestock and human beings.

K Kameswara Rao, society president, told Business Standard, that they were rearing about 450 quality Ongole breed cows in their farm.

"The society's seven-and-a-half decades old faith and rich experience has been that a cow, besides being useful in a number of ways, provides food to 24,960 men in its lifetime. It also intends to take advantage of farmers' growing awareness about organic farming."

"The society experts," he said, "borrowed technology for manufacturing organic manure, fertilisers, pesticides and a unique all-in-all probiotic called 'Panchagavya' from Natarajan, an allopathic doctor of Tamil Nadu, and from Gosamsthan, Nagpur."

Describing Panchagavya as a panacea for all ills in Indian agriculture, he said, "Its use has reduced cost of production significantly and increased crop yields by 22 per cent in turmeric, by 18 per cent in vegetables, and 75 per cent in coconut, sugarcane, sunflower, groundnut, and other crops."