Jalna: This is the success story of a farmer named Arun Kharat from Jalna, Maharashtra, who some years ago switched to the horticultural sector instead of traditional farming. This decision has proved a great dividend for him. He started concentrating on guava farming and successfully planted Taiwan pink guava. The demand for this variety is high in the market; now he has been earning plenty of money.
Arun planted 1,360 Taiwan pink guava plants on his one-hectare farm three years ago. The Agriculture Department helped him a lot in his new venture. He brought the plants from Malinabad in Rajasthan and planted them at a distance of 12×6 feet. Most importantly, there is no need to spend a lot of money, less water is used, and maintenance costs are minimal, which brings wealth to growers.
His income gradually boosted in the first year; he earned Rs 80,000; in the second and third years, his earnings were Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh, respectively. Arun said that the price of his organic pink guava in the Jalna market is up to Rs 400 per carat, which fetched him handsome earnings.
Each guava of this tree bears about 90-100 fruits, weighing around 300 to 400 grams. Meanwhile, intercropping is another source of Arun’s income. Along with guava, he grew tomatoes and coriander in between the guava trees, which increased his income of Rs 55,000 and Rs 70,000, respectively.
Arun Kharat’s story proves that farmers have ample opportunity to earn more profit by experimenting with new crops and moving beyond traditional farming methods.
