Marigold farming makes Purnia farmer prosperous

Purnia: The story of Sandeep, a young farmer from Purnia, Bihar, his innovative thinking changed his life. He got success due to marigold farming; he started flower farming a decade ago, and since then he never turned back. Currently, his flower business is flourishing, helping him in his decoration business. He doesn’t need to purchase flowers from other sources for the supply. He yields enough marigold flowers to fulfill the demand for weddings, festivals, and other events, which has boosted his income.

Sandeep ventured into the agriculture sector due to the poor financial condition of his home. After completing his formal education, he started working full time as a farmer. In the beginning, he was involved in traditional farming, fetching a low income. Then he shifted to flower cultivation, which really changed his destiny. He started a decoration business along with flower farming, strengthening his family’s economic position.

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He started cultivation of yellow, cherry, and red varieties of marigolds because these flowers are generally used in large quantity for decoration during festivals and other important events, which had given him a healthy income. Sandeep stated that marigold plants are ready for harvest in less than 100 days. The flowers can be supplied for four months. He further added that the total expense on one acre of marigold farming is about Rs 25,000, and while the profit is very high, it may reach up to Rs two lakh. Currently, he has been earning about Rs 5-6 lakh annually, making flower farming a much more lucrative business compared to traditional crops.

Sandeep is now a role model for the local farmers, encouraging them to grow flowers and receive better income. Therefore, many farmers of the region have started marigold farming for a sustainable and profitable livelihood.