Sundergarh: An ITI trainee of Ratanpur under Tangarpali block in Sundergarh district has scripted a success story in the field of farming.
Instead of trying for a job, Hirod Patel, son of a retired Army personnel turned his attention from private or government service in the competitive era after completion of his ITI course and made a foray into farming. Besides being a self-sufficient farmer, Hirod also generated jobs for many in his locality. Now, he is earning Rs10 lakh per annum.
Hirod’s father initially started farming on his one acre of land after retirement. During that time, Hirod was a school-goer. Besides his study, he also cooperated with his father in agriculture and learned the technique of farming.
Later, Hirod made entry into the ancestral occupation and expanded the area of farming. His plantations include different types of vegetables, banana, mangoes, guava and Thailand apple berry which fetch good harvests every year. The integrated farming which he does with modern technology gives handsome earning annually, he claimed.
Not only vegetable and fruit farming, he also tried his lock in pisciculture and succeeded also. He constructed three ponds in his fields and did fish farming. Within a short period, he yielded a good earning from his fish ponds.
His integrated farming has provided full-time employment to some youths of his village.
Hirod said his farm learning got a major boost after his exposure visit to Maharshtra sponsored by department of Horticulture. During his visit to Maharashtra, he acquired knowledge of growing banana of various species with modern technology. Later, he dug ponds in his land funded by the Horticulture Department and Watershed division.
“If I do paddy cultivation, I may earn Rs 25,000 or Rs 30,000 per annum. But, vegetable, fruits and flower farming gives me Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 lakh annually on the same acres of land. Eight people are engaged in my farming including my parents,” he said.
He also advised the unemployed youths to choose agriculture as a career. “There is a good career opportunity in farming. Initially, difficulties will come, but once you get acquainted with the process, things get easier. now-a-days, agriculture has a future,” he added.
Hirod said Horticulture officials and soil conservation department staff also have supported him a lot in his farming activities.
His father Siba Shankar Patel also feels happy with the works of his son. “Farming gives me immense pleasure. I completely look after the fields while my son focuses on marketing activities,” he said.
Labourers engaged in the farming also eked out a living from Hirod’ project. “I am earning Rs 250 per day with three times food. He also extends a helping hand to my family in an emergency,” said a labourer.
