P. Lakshmi Narayana removing weeds using his ‘cycle weeder’ at his field in Reddypalem, Kothapatnam mandal, Prakasam district.
| Photo Credit: KOMMURI SRINIVAS
P. Lakshmi Narayana, a farmer from Reddypalem village in Kothapatnam mandal of Prakasam district, has developed a simple weeder that costs just ₹1,000.
Speaking to The Hindu, he said the idea to make his ‘Cycle Weeder’ came from a random discussion on getting rid of weeds on fields without spending large sums. He said the tool, which he made by removing the front wheel of his old bicycle and welding a blade to it, allows him to easily weed an acre of field alone, a task which otherwise took 10 workers to complete.
Mr. Lakshmi Narayana currently cultivates chilli, groundnut and vegetables on his own one-and-half acre in the village. He pays a farmhand ₹1,500 a day to weeds his field using the ‘cycle weeder’. He said he used to spend over ₹5,000 a day for the task earlier.
“Taking their cue from the ‘cycle weeder’, many local farmers have made similar tools by spending ₹1,000 at the wielding shop,” he claimed.
Published – December 18, 2025 07:18 pm IST
