HYDERABAD: A software engineer from an agriculture family is turning heads with his passion for farming, toiling in his family’s farmland in Nagarkurnool district during the weekends. Top agricultural officials paid a visit to V Goverdhan Reddy’s 13-acre sandalwood farm recently to understand his approach and look at the trees themselves.
“A lot of learning and research has gone into planting sandalwood. There are big benefits to reap,” Goverdhan, who works for an MNC from Monday to Friday in Hyderabad, told TOI, explaining how he got into farming two years ago.
According to Goverdhan’s calculations, an investment of Rs Rs 1 lakh in planting sandalwood would result in an income running into crores of rupees in 15 years. His calculations are based on the number of sandalwood trees planted in an acre of land, the present rate and the price of the precious wood after 15 years.
Goverdhan does not want to keep the formula to himself. “I am willing to explain and guide anyone who wants to plant sandalwood. In fact, I have myself made a few mistakes. I do not want others planting sandalwood to repeat these mistakes,” he says.
Recently, agriculture commissioner B Janardhan Reddy and local agriculture officials visited Goverdhan’s farm and saw for themselves how the software engineer-cum-farmer was taking care of his sandalwood farm.
After his father’s death, Goverdhan dreamt of becoming a software engineer. He joined a business school and added an MBA degree to his resume. He worked for a couple of years and did courses in software. The farm then beckoned again. From 20 acres of farmland his family owned, he began sandalwood cultivation in 13 acres.