Today, when some new experiments are being done in every field, then why not in agriculture? This is because most farmers are afraid to experiment with new crops. Their fear is also a bit justified. If after a month’s hard work, the farmer does not get the right price for the crop grown, then he has to suffer a lot.
At the same time, if the new variety is liked in the market, then the profits can also be doubled. Today we are going to tell you the story of a farmer from Khajurikalan village of Bhopal, who is famous for his innovation in farming.
For the first time in the state, ‘Mishrilal Rajput’ has become a topic of discussion in his area by growing red ladyfinger. But this isn’t the first time he’s innovated. Ever since he started farming, he has been growing something different.
The Better India Talking to TOI, he said, “At present I have grown red ladyfinger in a small area and am preparing its seeds. So that I can provide its seeds to other farmers also. Not only is it healthier than the normal ladyfinger, its price in the market is also very high.
ever dreamed of becoming a doctor
Mishrilal, who belonged to a farmer family, did not like to do farming at first. He says, “I had studied 12th with biology subject. Then I thought that I would study medicine, but due to some reasons I left my studies and finally the son of the farmer became a farmer.
In the year 1989, when he decided to take up farming, the farm did not have much facilities nor did the fields have proper means of irrigation. There were only a few traditional crops, which his father used to grow. Over time, gradually many machines came in the field and they also started working on new seeds by contacting Agricultural University.
In 1990, he had grown WH 147 variety of wheat and hybrid tomatoes in half an acre. Although a little more was spent in buying these seeds, but these tomatoes were sold at a higher price than indigenous tomatoes. After this other nearby farmers also started growing these crops.
Mishrilal says, “Years back when I planted WH 147 variety of wheat and hybrid tomatoes in my field, farmers from nearby villages used to come to see what was special in it. Since then, new experiments have been going on in agriculture.
keep experimenting in farming
He is well known all over the state in terms of innovation in agriculture. He was the first to start medicinal farming in the state in 1998. Mishrilal had grown Mentha, Safed Musli, Lemon Grass etc. In view of the good earnings and market demand in these crops, he had cultivated it by taking some land on rent apart from his own farm.
However, after the arrival of synthetic aromatic oil from China in 2005-2006, its market demand began to decline. After which he gradually stopped doing medicinal farming, but continued to do other experiments in farming.
A few years back he had also successfully cultivated the famous rice of Uttar Pradesh, ‘Kala Namak’. He always tries to cultivate those crops, whose demand is high in the market and from which more profit can be earned.
He says, “However, in these experiments, sometimes there is a loss. That’s why most of the farmers are afraid to try new ones. But I do all these experiments out of my passion and also share my experiences with other farmers.”
Last year, he had grown blue potatoes in a small area, which is good for health and a very expensive vegetable. Mishrilal is preparing to plant it in about one acre of land this year. He is also preparing the seeds of red ladyfinger and will produce it on a commercial scale next year.
He says that there is a lot of demand for red ladyfinger in foreign countries. He brought its seeds from Indian Vegetable Research Institute Banaras and sowed lady’s finger in 40 decimal land. He claims that the quality of bhindi is very good and he expects that red ladyfinger will be sold at a higher price than the normal ladyfinger in the market.
He has also received the ‘Madhya Pradesh Krishi Bhushan’ award in the year 2003 for innovation in farming.
Good profit earned from vegetable cultivation
He owns two and a half acres of ancestral farm, the rest of the land he keeps on rent. In this way, in total, he cultivates 20 to 22 acres of land in a year, in which he grows many seasonal vegetables including wheat, gram. He told that last year he had made a profit of 4.5 lakhs by growing cauliflower in just one acre of farmland.
He proudly says, “It is because of these experiments in farming that our economic condition has improved. In the year 2000, I was the first farmer to buy a car in my village.”
He advises other farmers like himself to grow horticulture crops along with cash crops. He says that the chances of damage to these crops are less. At the same time, good profits are also made in a couple of years.
By doing new experiments in farming time to time, he has proved that he is a progressive farmer in the true sense.
Editing: Archana Dubey
Also read: IITian left job and settled village, 160 people left the city, living a pleasant life amidst nature
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