There will be bumper profits from these crops in the month of April: Baby corn is in trend these days, cowpea and soybean increase the fertility of the soil

With the increasing heat, the month of April has begun. By this time, almost all the Rabi crops are usually harvested. Crops like wheat, barley, potatoes, and chickpeas are transported to the farmer's markets. Between the harvest of Rabi crops and the onset of the Kharif season, there is a gap of a few months, referred to as the Zaid season. During this season, several pulses and oilseeds are sown. This benefits you in terms of good yields from your crops and an improvement in crop quality. Not only that, but in this month, many crops are sown that enhance soil quality.

1. Corn and Baby Corn:
    Every crop requires different environmental conditions and temperatures. Similarly, it's ideal to cultivate corn and baby corn during this season. These crops can tolerate the heat and are ready for harvest within 70 days. These crops are also exported to other countries, and they are used in various dishes in hotels, including salads, vegetables, pickles, fritters, and soups.

2. Green Gram (Mung), Black Gram (Urad):
   The temperature in April is conducive for sowing pulse crops like green gram (mung) and black gram (urad). You can also consider planting pigeon peas (arhar). These crops mature and are ready for harvesting in 60 to 90 days. The yield can be up to 3-4 quintals. Please note that urad cultivation should be avoided in flood-prone areas.

3. Peanut (Mungfali):
    After the immediate wheat harvest, you can start planting peanuts. These crops mature within about 4-5 months and are best suited for better production. For better yields, it's recommended to plant peanuts in light loamy soil after seed treatment.

4. Cowpea (Lobia), Soybean:
   To improve soil fertility, you can consider intercropping cowpea, cowpea (lobia), and green gram (mung) during the Zaid season. This helps increase nitrogen levels in the soil. Cowpeas are ready for harvest in about 70 days and can be intercropped with             riceand maize.Additionally, there is a lower risk of diseases affecting soybean crops planted in April. Soybeans are known to stabilize nitrogen levels in the environment. In areas with waterlogging, it's advisable to refrain from planting soybeans.

5. Vegetables:
   In this month, you can also cultivate vegetables such as bottle gourd (lauki), okra (bhindi), bitter gourd (karela), sponge gourd (torai), and eggplant (baingan). To protect late-season crops from adverse weather, farmers can consider setting up polyhouses or greenhouses. These Zaid crops not only provide diversity in agricultural practices but also contribute to food security and improved crop rotations.