Karnal farmer cultivates apples in plains, draws praise from Agriculture Minister

Narinder Singh Chauhan, a farmer from Uchana village of the district, has made headlines after successfully cultivating apples on 1.5 acres of land, drawing appreciation from Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana, who visited the orchard on Wednesday to taste the fruit himself.

As per Chauhan, these varieties –Anna and Dorsett Golden apple can be grown in areas with temperature up to 50°C. Besides, he also successfully cultivated almond variety Rana Gurbandi 96. Apple is likely to harvest from June 15 and almond from July 15, said Rana. He said he initially brought apple saplings from Palampur, but now prepares them himself. “These apple varieties can tolerate temperatures up to 50°C. These are not suitable for regions where there is snowfall, but perfect for the plains,” he said while interacting with mediapersons.

“We are expecting around 70 kg of fruit from every tree. People come to the farm to purchase it. We do not need to go to the market. Our fruit is sold at the farm,” he said.

Minister Rana toured the farm, tasted the apples and lauded the farmer’s multi-purpose horticulture efforts, which also include mangoes, lychees, peach and pear.

“The apples here are of excellent quality—juicy and full of flavour,” said the minister. “Narendra has introduced several varieties and is also producing saplings to inspire other farmers. This is an example of progressive farming,” said Rana. He also emphasised the benefits of horticulture over traditional farming. Farmer Chauhan also appreciated the support by the government and said, “Without the government support, the farmers cannot flourish. Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana stands by the farmers in their difficult times,” he added.

Rana takes dig at Rahul Gandhi

When asked about the visit of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, he said, “Congress is a family-run party. Without a strong organisation, no party can win elections. That is why the Congress keeps failing,” he said.

Responding to Gandhi’s recent statement on India’s airstrikes, the minister said, “Our fight is with terrorists, not the people of Pakistan. Unfortunately, the Pakistani military supported the terrorists, which is why we had to act. Their military makes foreign policy decisions, not the elected leaders.” When asked about Rahul Gandhi comparing political leaders to different types of horses, Rana said, “He seems to be fond of giving such examples. But real war horses, like Maharana Pratap’s Chetak, are revered. Decorated horses are for weddings, but warriors ride the ones with strength and spirit.”

Later, he visited Maharana Pratap Horticultural University (MHU). Vice Chancellor, Prof Suresh Malhotra welcomed the minister there. During his visit, the Minister emphasised the state government’s firm commitment to the farmers’ welfare. He said the Haryana government was actively working to uplift the farming community, and its initiatives were yielding visible benefits for the farmers. To further assist the farmers in the plains, the state established Maharana Pratap Horticultural University in Karnal.

He urged the farmers to shift from traditional crops to horticulture, highlighting that cultivating fruits, vegetables, spices, and flowers could offer significantly higher returns. He also reviewed the progress of the university’s main campus and discussed various horticulture-related developments with the VC. Malhotra informed the Minister that the MHU was playing a crucial role in disseminating the latest horticultural technologies to the farmers.