Modification and Popularization of Improved Cultivation Practices of Ekangi (Kaempheria galanga L.) as Replacement Crop for Rice in Kharif Season for Red and Lateritic Belt of Birbhum District of West Bengal

The significant presence of 13 (thirteen) numbers of the Community Development (CD) Blocks viz. Murarai-I, Murarai-II, Rampurhat-I, Rampurhat-II, Mayureswar-I, Muhammad Bazar, Suri-I, Suri-II, Dubrajpur, Khayrasole, Illambazar, Bolpur-Srniketan and Labpur of Birbhum District, where a considerable Red Lateritic soil situation with mainly Kharif Rice - fallow farming system along with predominantly mono-cropped Kharif Rice farming situation prevails, raises the ecological and economic concern of overwhelming dominance and continuance of cultivation of Rice in Kharif season. In this background, Rathindra Krishi Vigyan Kendra introduced Ekangi as a crop of drought resistance capacity and totally rainfed, covering the fields within 3 months, preventing Soil erosion due to heavy rain or heavy wind, lowering soil water evaporation loss and maintaining the Soil Water table properly, is a potential crop with huge positive crop economics, can be utilized to replace Kharif Rice in mono-cropped farming situation of red lateritic zones.

Mainly comparative statistical analyses of the data from the study across all the front-line demonstration programmes on viz. Ekangi and newly released improved high yielding varieties of Kharif Rice viz. Ranidhan (IET-19418), Chandra (MTU-1153) and CR Dhan 800 (IET-20672) in terms of economics viz. net return (Rs./ha) and B: C ratio were analysed.

The present study clearly revealed the fact that the improved cultivation practices for the production of Ekangi as modified by the scientists of Rathindra Krishi Vigyan Kendra had huge economic potential over and above the newly released improved high yielding varieties of Kharif Rice, especially in the mono-cropped Kharif Rice farming situation prevailing in red lateritic zones of Birbhum District, West Bengal. The front-line demonstration (FLD) programmes in the last three (3) years, i.e. 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, clearly showed that Ekangi has a massive economic edge over three (3) newly released Improved high yielding varieties of Kharif Rice viz. Ranidhan (IET-19418), Chandra (MTU-1153) and CR Dhan 800 (IET-20672) in terms of economics viz. net return (Rs./ha) and B:C ratio. Ekangi enjoyed overwhelmingly higher net return (Rs./ha), ranging from Rs. 6,35,590.00/ha against Kharif Rice Var. Chandra (MTU-1153) in 2023-24 to Rs. 5,91,700.00/ha against kharif rice Var. Ranidhan (IET-19418) in 2025-26 and higher B:C ratio over newly released Improved high yielding varieties of Kharif Rice, ranging from a highest of 4.30 against Kharif Rice Var. Chandra (MTU-1153) in 2023-24 to 3.10 against Kharif Rice Var. Ranidhan (IET-19418) in 2025-26.