Kishtwar ex-soldier follows passion, strikes it rich in horticulture

Jammu, January 16

In the picturesque district of Kishtwar, a retired Army personnel Sunil Singh (38) has transformed his passion for horticulture into a flourishing venture. Sunil, who belongs to Gundarna Tagood of Kishtwar, wanted to become a horticulturist since his childhood. However, his patriotism delayed his dreams but he did not give up on them.

After his return from Army, he revived his interest in cultivating fruit trees. Over the last 15 years, he has not only nurtured this passion but turned it into a professional pursuit, specialising in fruit plant nursery and orchard establishment.

His state-of-the-art nursery boasts a diverse collection of about 40,000 plants, including citrus fruits, walnuts, apples, apricots, plums, hazelnuts, and pears, besides with an impressive grafting success rate of 98% on walnut plants.

Managing a sprawling orchard spread across 40 kanals, Sunil has become a connoisseur of horticulture, particularly in the cultivation of walnuts. With 300 walnut trees representing 20 varieties, he earns an annual income of approximately Rs 15 lakh from walnut sales alone.

Sunil says that his reach extends far beyond Kishtwar, as he sells his walnuts in various parts of India, including Goa, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Bangalore. Besides, he also supplies high quality grafted walnut plants in Uttarakhand, Himachal and North East Kashmir regions which gives fruit after three years.

He also imparts technical training on horticulture and conducts lecture series in colleges, schools and universities.