Tag: Corn

Hardeep Singh

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In the heart of Ludhiana’s Rabbon Uchi village, a tale of ambition, dedication, and perseverance has unfolded over the past 15 years. At the center of this narrative is Hardeep Singh, a visionary dairy farmer who has transformed his dreams into reality through relentless hard work and an unwavering commitment to his craft. With an academic background in marketing, an MBA degree, and a stint at Tara Feed, Hardeep’s journey into the world of dairy farming is an inspiring testament to the possibilities that lie beyond traditional career trajectories.

Hardeep’s foray into dairy farming was no mere happenstance. His passion was ignited during his time at Tara Feed, where he had the opportunity to visit various farms as part of his job. These visits opened his eyes to the potential of dairy farming as a profitable and sustainable occupation. Armed with this newfound inspiration, he embarked on a journey that would lead him to become a pioneer in his field.

With a burning desire to learn and grow, Hardeep took extensive training in the field, initially focusing on buffalo farming before transitioning to cows. Armed with his newly acquired knowledge, he purchased 20 animals at the outset, and what sets his journey apart is his steadfast commitment to breeding. Unlike many in the industry who often rely on purchasing animals, Hardeep chose a different path. He decided to breed his own cows, a decision that not only spoke to his dedication but also set the stage for a self-sustaining farm. Over the years, his herd has grown to a total of 90 cows, comprising both Holstein Friesians (HF), with 40 actively contributing to milk production.

Obstacles, as Hardeep believes, are an inevitable part of any occupation. Yet, his approach to challenges is what truly defines him. He is not one to shy away; instead, he tackles each obstacle head-on, seeking innovative solutions. One such example is his battle against mastitis, a common and often debilitating condition in dairy cattle. Hardeep invested time and effort in researching and refining the nutrition of his cows’ feed. Drawing upon recommendations from institutions like Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and Punjab Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA), he fine-tuned his cows’ diet, leading to a reduction in mastitis cases and an overall improvement in cow health.

Another challenge he confronted was repeat breeding. Through meticulous research and experimentation, he found a solution by incorporating the right mix of minerals and vitamins into the cows’ diet, effectively addressing the issue. Hardeep’s proactive approach doesn’t stop at on-farm solutions; he’s also tapped into the resources provided by the National Dairy Development Board. Leveraging their schemes, he secured subsidies for his initial purchase of 10 animals, giving his venture a solid financial boost.

In his pursuit of excellence, Hardeep leaves no stone unturned. He uses imported semen from reputable sources like Punjab Dairy Farmers Association, Avis, and Worldwide, enhancing the genetics of his herd. With an emphasis on technology, Hardeep employs software to monitor his cows’ health and productivity. Each cow wears a tag around its neck, and the software sends him real-time updates about their well-being, including any signs of sickness. The same software aids in optimizing artificial insemination timings, ensuring a higher success rate in breeding.

Hardeep’s accomplishments extend beyond the dairy barn. His family, especially his brothers, have been pillars of support throughout his journey. With 42 acres of land dedicated to agriculture, he maintains a symbiotic relationship between his farming endeavors. He cultivates crops such as potatoes and corn, the latter serving as silage for his cows. This integration not only reduces costs but also highlights Hardeep’s holistic approach to farming.

As Hardeep Singh continues to nurture his dairy farm in Ludhiana’s Rabbon Uchi village, his journey remains an inspiration to all who come across it. His ability to surmount challenges, embrace innovation, and sustain a thriving enterprise underscores the limitless possibilities that can emerge from a combination of passion and perseverance. In his story, we find not only a tale of individual success but also a roadmap for revitalizing and revolutionizing the agricultural landscape.

Message to farmers

Reflecting on his journey, Hardeep emphasizes the profitability of dairy farming, provided one pays meticulous attention to expenses and focuses on the crucial aspects of feed, breed, and cow management. He stands as a testament to the notion that with the right blend of passion, knowledge, and determination, even a non-traditional background can lead to extraordinary success. His story underscores the potential of agriculture as a dynamic and rewarding profession, inspiring aspiring farmers to think beyond conventional boundaries.

Jagmohan Singh Nagi

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Corn King of Punjab

Jagmohan Singh Nagi is an avid farmer and food producer who hails from Batala, Punjab. His father was a factory mechanic and always wanted him to get into the food industry. Kulwant Nutrition started in 1989 with a single plant and a small batch of corn and is now a thriving business with annual sales more than Rs 7 crore.

Contract farmer Jagmohan (now 63) cultivates 300 acres (about half the area of Central Park in New York City) of land, growing corn, mustard, wheat, and various vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, and beets. For this he is associating and working with 300 farmers in the Indian states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, supplying food to companies such as PepsiCo, Kellogg’s and Domino’s Pizza. Outside the US, he also ships to the UK, New Zealand, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Years before the partition, he and his family were Karachiites.

Before settling in Punjab, Mr Nagi, Jagmohan’s father, moved to Mumbai with his family. Despite the widespread need, there was an acute shortage of technicians to maintain the grain mills. Because of this, his father jumped at the chance. One of Jagmohan’s father’s goals was to get his son a job in the restaurant business. However, he went to Birmingham University in the UK to study grain milling and grain/food engineering as there were no suitable programs in Punjab at that time. Back in India, he established Kulwant Nutrition Farm. Things did not go well at first as he struggled to harvest enough corn without help. However, at that time there was not a good corn crop in Punjab, so their factory collapsed. Therefore, despite the astronomical cost of shipping from there, he started buying corn from the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. He then worked with Punjab Agricultural University to connect the school with businesses to ensure a successful harvest. The institution has provided high-quality seeds to farmers, and Mr. Nagi said he often buys agricultural products from these farmers. There is an old saying that effort is never wasted. Kellogg’s was his first customer.

In 1991, Jagmohan started working as a contract farmer trying to learn how to farm on his own. Mr. Jagmohan began working at PepsiCo in 1992, producing corn for the Kurkure snack. He says he needed about 1,000 tons of corn a month. He has also been supplying Domino’s Pizza since 1994. Mr Jagmohan started growing and producing vegetables and other preserves in 2013.

Although his farming business was thriving, COVID presented several challenges. When the pandemic broke out, the supply chain was immediately affected by COVID. Grocery stores have remained open, although many other businesses have closed because they are considered a basic service. Therefore, Jagmohan Singh focused on basic products such as organic corn flour and wheat flour. He wants to cultivate mustard oil, grains and chia seeds.

His company employs 70 people and thanks to him, farmers and agricultural students receive free training. They teach farmers about the latest cultivation methods and profitable marketing strategies. He wants to spread his learnings from an anecdote, which explained that selling ghee and cottage cheese are more profitable alternatives to selling milk.

As Jagmohan put it, “Government must nurture and promote agricultural enterprises at the local level” if it wants to encourage young people to enter farming. Food and agricultural technology are also to be supported. He advises farmers that strictly following instructions is the best way to achieve good results and avoid financial losses. Instead of following trends, farmers should carefully select the crops that will grow well in their area. A step will greatly improve their bottom line.

Message for farmers 

Being a farmer himself, Mr Nagi encourages other farmers to learn as much as possible and try new things. Those who cultivate the land must prioritize profitable crops. Millet, vegetables, and fruit trees should surround these fields. Instead of selling raw milk, he advises farmers to process the milk into products like barfis and other Indian sweets.

Pooja Sharma

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Story of A Strong Willed Woman Who Stepped Forward to Support Her Husband in Managing Family’s Livelihood through Farming

In our Indian Society, a notion has been deep rooted in our minds that woman should be at home and men should earn. But still, there are many women who bear the tag of bread earner very confidently in a positive way and help their husbands in running and supporting the house needs. One such a woman who is helping his husband in fulfilling her house needs is Pooja Sharma.

Mrs. Pooja Sharma is a rising agripreneur from the land of Jats – Haryana, and currently, she is the president of Kshitiz Self-Help Group and leading women of her village (Chandu) under her. By using the innovative farming technique she is producing 11 varieties of ready to cook and ready to eat items made up of soybean, wheat, maize, pearl millet, and corn.

The decision of making a move in the field of farming was taken in 2012 when Pooja Sharma (mother of three children) realized that her house needs aren’t going to be fulfilled with just his husband (Government Contract Employee) earnings, and now it’s her responsibility to support her husband.

She joined KVK Shikoupur and told them to teach her things that will help her earn a livelihood. She took training from there and learned innovative farming techniques. There she learned how to process the soybeans and other cereals so that it can be directly used for eating. And after taking this training she encouraged other women of her neighbourhood and village to take the same training.

In 2013, she established her own small manufacturing unit of roasted soybeans at home and also involved other women of her village in her venture and slowly expanded her business. She also made a self-help group by the name Kshitiz SHG and involved and encouraged more women of her village to join it. By collecting all the savings of the group’s women, she purchased three more roasting machines. And after some time she collected more money and purchased two more machines.

Currently, their group has 7 units of manufacturing machines. The machines were expensive according to their budget but still, they managed and it cost them around Rs. 16,000 and Rs. 20,000 per piece. She has 1.25 acres of land and she is actively involved in farming also. She grows mostly those crops of pulses and cereals, so that, she can process it and use it later for selling purpose. She is teaching the same thing to other women of her village also to use their land effectively because it can benefit them in the future.

Along with the team of 11 women today she is processing and selling more than 11 varieties of products (millet khichadi, millet laddoo, roasted wheat grains, roasted sorghum, roasted soy beans, roasted Bengal grams) which are ready to eat and cook (wholesome packets of nutrients) across the states and country. With the willpower, Pooja Sharma has helped other women of her village to gain self-reliance and confidence.

For her, it has been a long journey to reach where she is today and she has faced many challenges also. Now they have setup the machines at their home, so that women can operate it at home when they are free; and in their village, as power cuts are very frequent, so they have divided their work according to that; some women dry up the beans, some clean them and the rest of the women roast and grind them.

Currently, the big problem that Pooja Sharma and group face sometimes is language barriers (English). Because when it comes to communicating with big companies then they realize that in which skill they are lacking the most and that is education. But they are not discouraged by it and are trying to work on it. Apart of manufacturing food items, she is also helping women acquire training in stitching, farming and other activities they are interested in.

Her future plans are to expand his business and inspire more women and make them independent so that they don’t have to be dependent on others for money. For her passionate work and effort, she has been awarded a cash prize of 50,000 and a citation certificate for innovative farming techniques with Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Krishi Puraskar from Zone II comprising states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. She is also a member of ATMA SCHEME and she has also received appreciation by the Governor- Kaptan Singh Solanki, for making protein-rich food items.

MESSAGE TO FARMERS-
“Wherever farmers cultivate cereal, pulse or any crop, there they should create a group of those women who are just doing household work and train them to use the produced crops for making good things by processing them, so that they can sell those things in the market and get a good price for it.”