A story of farm success scripted with vegetables

 JAMURDA (BARGARH): While men of his age are leading a retired life, 63-year-old farmer Subash Chandra Pradhan of Jamurda village under Bargarh block is still going strong as a farmer and has become an inspiration for youths shying away from agriculture. Subash, who is into vegetable cultivation for the last 34 years, has made farming a lucrative affair and is reaping a profit of Rs 3.95 lakh per annum.

Subash, who has studied up to Class X, started vegetable cultivation at an age of 29. His started with cultivation of pointed gourd (potal) and cabbage over about 2.5 acres of land. Before he ventured into farming, his father Seshadeb was solely concentrating on paddy cultivation. Subash took up vegetable cultivation after being informed that it offers good return.

The 63-year-old now grows bitter gourd, pointed gourd, French beans and potato over 4.75 acres besides cabbage, cauliflower, cowpea and bottle gourd over 0.75 acres. Altogether, he cultivates vegetables over 5.5 acres of land and earns around Rs 3.95 lakh per year.

Subash said he earns around Rs 50,000 annually from bitter gourd cultivation over half an acre and another Rs 1 lakh by growing pointed gourd over 1.5 acres. Similarly, he cultivates French beans over one acre and earns a profit of about Rs 70,000. He also gets around Rs 1 lakh from potato over 1.75 acres and about Rs 75,000 from cultivation of cabbage, cauliflower, cowpea and bottle gourd over 0.75 acre.

“I have planned to replace cultivation of potato with pumpkin over 1.75 acres of land due to distress sale and lack of cold storage,” Subash said. He expects to earn around Rs 1.5 lakhs from pumpkin cultivation.
This farm success has been possible only because of availability of proper get irrigation from Bargarh Main Canal under Hirakud Dam Project, he said. This apart, Subash has also excavated a dug well on his farm land.   

Subash said he faces no problem in selling his yield as traders visit his village regularly to procure his produce. “I have never felt the need of a job and am satisfied with farming,” he said. His son Trishakti is equally keen on continuing with vegetable farming and even lends a helping hand to him in the fields, he added.