The Better India

Job Anxiety During Lockdown Inspired Varanasi Man to Grow

Strawberries, He Now Earns Lakhs
Gopi Karelia 1 week ago

L ike many others, Varanasi-based Ramesh Mishra was faced with the possibility of losing
his job as a resource manager at a private school, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As
cases grew exponentially and a lockdown was imposed, he found himself grappling with
uncertainty surrounding his job. He began looking for other opportunities, but with India’s
plunging economy, found nothing substantial.

So Ramesh quit his job and turned to something entirely different from what he had been
doing earlier — strawberry farming. He joined hands with Madan Mohan Tiwari, a friend
who was also going through financial problems.

Together, the duo began cultivating on a 2-acre land in August last year. Interestingly,
neither had any prior experience in the field, and learned from scratch by experimenting
multiple times before they could get a decent yield. Now, their average yield is about 500
grams per plant, and they have a total of 15,000 trees on their farm. One kilo of strawberry is
sold at an average of Rs 200. Currently, Ramesh and Madan are in the final leg of their first
cropping cycle, and by the end of it, they hope to earn a revenue of more than Rs 5,00,000. In
other words, their monthly income stands at over a lakh.

On-ground experience
Speaking to The Better India about how he began his journey, Ramesh says that after none
of his efforts to find a job took shape, he began looking at the internet for answers. He
searched for professions that needed less investment, experience and knowledge.

“Farming popped up multiple times, but I did not know anything about it. So I narrowed my
search down, and found that strawberries are easy to grow. They thrive in cool climates and
the best time to harvest is between October and February. Varanasi’s weather was suitable
for it,” Ramesh says.

Armed with all the information required to cultivate strawberries, Ramesh also underwent a
one-week workshop in Pune. Internet search results told him that there are many farmers in
Pune who grow the fruit. He contacted one of them on social media to learn the technical
aspects of the process.

Shedding light on the workshop, Ramesh says, “Learning on-ground was much better than
through YouTube videos. I learned about water conservation methods such as drip
irrigation, and about soil conditions, types of seeds, and sunlight requirements, among other
things. If you are a beginner, I’d highly recommend visiting a farm to see how the process
works. Farming is complicated, but you can learn it offline quicker.”

Using their savings, Ramesh and Madan invested a capital of around Rs 9,00,000, which they
hope to recover in one year. Expenses included procuring saplings, installing a drip
irrigation system and tank, procuring mulching paper, and covering labour cost.

Dos and don’ts

They leased a 2-acre plot, and ordered 15,000 strawberry saplings (each priced at Rs 15) from
various farmers in Pune. The two friends cleaned, ploughed and levelled the land to attain
the appropriate soil structure. They raised the soil bed and covered it with mulching bags.
Finally, a drip irrigation system was installed, which reduced water consumption by 40 per
cent. The duo strictly adheres to organic methods of growing produce, and uses
jeevamrutham as manure for the plants.

They have planted the fruit in a zig-zag format, with each plant at a distance of 1×1 feet,
which saves space and allows maximum plantation in minimal space.

Explaining the ‘dos and don’ts’ of the process, Madan says, “Raised beds ensure there is no
water stagnation. Keep the soil free of weed roots, and ensure they have enough drainage
holes at the bottom. Set plants into the soil, ensuring that each crown (where the leaves
emerge) sits just above the surface. Give water directly to roots and their surrounding area.
Mulch after planting to avoid water evaporation. Do not cut, and instead, pick strawberries
when they are bright red, ideally during the warmest part of the day, which is when they are
at their tastiest.”
As for maintenance, watering the crop regularly is essential when the fruit is forming, and
the plants require 6-8 hours of sunlight. Avoid using excessive fertiliser, or else there will be
more leaf growth and less flowering, says Ramesh.

Post this cycle, they will plant muskmelon, which will give a yield by June. Between July and
August, they will clear the field, rejuvenate the soil, and then plant strawberries again.

Like in Ramesh’s case, farming is now a growing phenomenon among several urban
dwellers, who are using smart technologies and organic methods, proving that this
profession can be viable if done right.

Edited by Divya Sethu 

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Categories: Lede, Organic Farming, Uttar Pradesh

Tags: Agriculture, covid19, Farming, farming success, job anxiety, lockdown, organic farming, quit job, ramesh
mishra, strawberry farming, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi
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