Chilli Archives - Progressive Farmers

Meet the Modern Farmer, Who Is Growing According To the Need of the Hour

For Karamjit Singh, becoming a farmer was a distant dream, but the circumstantial conditions changed everything. In the last seven years, Karamjit Singh’s perception changed completely towards farming and now he has turned towards organic farming completely.

Like other young boys, Karamjit Singh was also a free soul who loved to play cricket all day long, he used to participate in the local cricket tournaments. His life was confined between school and playground. He never thought at that time that his life would take a whole new turn about which he had never thought about. During his academic years (school) in 2003, his father passed away and soon after some time, in 2005, his mother also passed away. After that only his grandparents were left in his family. At that time, situations were not under his control, so he decided to drop his studies after 12th and support his family.

At a very young age he got married and he also had the opportunity to go abroad and start his life from a new beginning again, but he chose to stay back with his grandparents. 2011 was the year when he decided to step in the field of farming. He started cultivating cereals, pulses, grains, and everything organically for home purpose in a small acreage. He got inspired by other farmers in his area and slowly expanded his farming expanse. Time and experience built confidence and then Karamjit Singh took his land back from lease.

He added more vegetable varieties like Squash Melon, Cauliflower, Okra, Peas, Chilli, Sweet Corn, Bottle Gourd, and Brinjal in his farmland and also started preparing nursery of chili, tomato, capsicum, and other vegetables.

The exposure that Karamjit got from farming, boosted up his confidence and in 2016 he decided to take 14 acres land on lease; and this is how Karamjit started making a happy life out of his living.

Today, in the life of Karamjit, he is still a newbie in the field of farming who has the curiosity to explore more and do more. With the same spirit, he entered in the field of floriculture, in 2017 and started cultivating Marigold by inter-cropping it with Gladiolus.

There also came a man- Ashok Kumar in the life of Karamjit Singh, who enlightened him with the knowledge of friendly pest and enemy pest, and this is how Karamjit Singh boycotted the use of insecticides in his field completely. Karamjit Singh took every chance as an opportunity to learn something new about farming and this is how he stepped towards his successes.

Currently, the whole farm of Karamjit Singh is equipped with drip irrigation system and pack-house for vegetables. He gives every nutrient to the vegetables in the most natural way possible. For marketing, he is following farm to the home concept in which he is doing home delivery of fresh insecticides free vegetables and he has also established an on-farm-market through which he is earning well.

For his initiative of cultivating fresh insecticides free vegetables he has been awarded by PAU, Kisan Club on 1st February, and he was also awarded second prize for best quality peas by Patiala Horticulture Department in 2014.

Karamjit Singh’s wife – Premdeep Kaur is his supporting pillar, she helps him in labour and harvesting process, and he manages the marketing part. In the beginning, there were some problems in marketing, but slowly he overcame all the hurdles with his hard work and enthusiasm. In place of chemicals and fertilizer, they prepare organic compost and spray at home. Recently, Karamjit Singh has planted 200 fruit trees of Kinnow, Pomegranate, Guava, Apple, Loquat, Lemon, Java Plum, Pear and Mango in his farm and in future he wants to focus on guava orchards.

Message:

“Committing suicide is not the solution. Farmers have to come out of the conventional cycle of farming, only then they can achieve success in long run. Moreover, farmers have to understand the importance of our Mother Nature and they should work towards saving water and soil.”

Currently, at the age of 28, Karamjit Singh has established his own organic business in his village Kansuha Kalan in Nabha Tehsil of Patiala District, and the spirit with which he is succeeding towards organic farming indicates a better future for his family and his surroundings. Karamjit Singh is a progressive farmer who has the capability to set an example for those aimless youth who are confused with their career choices… we need more farmers like him.

Story of a Man, Who United With His True Childhood Passion of Farming after Retirement

Passion is an amazing emotion or we can say an oomph factor which can lead a person in any direction he wants. And by coming in account with this 64 year-old-man, Mohan Singh, every positive though about passion seems true. From the last 2 years this retired man, Mohan Singh, is spending his every single moment to fulfil his childhood passion of farming.

After serving BCAM for more than three decades, Mohan Singh finally got retired in 2015 as a GM (General Manager) from the organization, and then he decided to step in the soil to accomplish those dreams that was left undone and buried somewhere in the back of his heart.

Coming from an educated background where his father was in military, Mohan Singh was never confined to career choices, he had the freedom to follow his dreams. In his childhood years, Mohan Singh got so much influenced towards farming that he himself was not aware of.

While growing up, Mohan Singh, often use to visit his small 5 acres family farm where his family use to grow wheat, paddy and some seasonal veggies for home consumption. But as he grew up, his life got more complex, confined between limited space of education system, job responsibility and later on family responsibilities.

After getting retired, in 2015, Mohan Singh joined a part time job as a consultant in Prakash Iron Foundry, Agra; he use to visit there once or twice a month. In the same year, 2015, he took his first step towards his childhood desire and he started preparing nursery of black onion and chilli.

He began with 100 soil beds, and slowly expanded the area up to 200 soil beds and then he expanded it in 1 acre with 1000 soil beds. He started marketing his products through on-road stalls. He got good response in return which inspired him to start preparing vegetable nursery also. To take his venture up to the next level he started contract farming with a person in which he started growing late variety of chilli through which he earned more profit.

Black onion is the main crop which fetched him great profit than the older variety of onions because it decays at slower rate due to which its storage life is increased. With the help of few worker he manages his whole farm and also work as a consultant with Prakash Iron Foundry. He has all the modern implements like tractor, harrow, tiller, and leveller at his farm.

Though, Mohan Singh’s journey in farming started a while ago, but his selection for quality seeds and standardise schedule for compost lead him to great success and satisfaction.

Currently Mohan Singh is living a happy farmer life in his village Devinagar Abrawan of Mohali and expanding his reach in the agriculture sector to purse sustainable agriculture in the future.

For Mohan Singh, living with his wife, two well settled sons (one is veterinary doctor and another is working successfully in the electronics field), their wives and children, farming was never a burden, he enjoys farming. He also rears 3 Murrah Buffaloes for house hold purpose and his son who is a veterinary doctor helps him taking care of them.

Message:

“Farmers should adapt new environment friendly technologies and join groups which can help them succeed in agriculture sector, rather than depending upon the subsidy. Farmer should also adopt modern farming allied activities along with crop cultivation if they want to earn double benefit and manage their finances at the time of crop loss.”

This aged retired man is an icon for millions of youth, who are running behind the glittering life of city.