Turmeric, plums & pears...young farmer promotes crop diversity
Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
Jalandhar, January 7
Thirty three-year-old Amritpal Singh Randhawa from Fhuglana village of Hoshiarpur has set an example for the youngsters who have lost their hopes here and want to move abroad in search of jobs. This young and progressive farmer recently won the Pravasi Bharti Award for promoting crop diversification in his fields. It was presented to him by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) during the Kisan Mela that was held in September, 2022.
Randhawa at a young age has proved that if work is done wisely, everything can be achieved and one can earn well. An MSc in Horticulture from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Randhawa specialised in fruit science and is now applying his education in his fields to lead a comfortable life. Amritpal Randhawa has been farming on 54 acres of land and 22 acres of the total area is dedicated to the cultivation of turmeric. It is processed, packed and then retailed in powdered form.
Apart from this, Randhawa has also tried his hands in orchard farming and started an experiment by cultivating pears (on 10 acres) and plums (on 6 acres). “In case of pears, fruiting starts after 8-10 years, while for plums, it takes around four years, but there is a lot of potential. Three years have already passed and I am looking after this new project with dedication which if successful, will prove fruitful,” he said.
Amritpal Randhawa says his family was never into paddy cultivation. Instead, they prefer other crops like potatoes, wheat etc. “We also have a cold storage and prepare potato seeds and give it to other farmers,” he said, adding that farming is a business and one must do it in a wise manner.
Ask him if he wants to go to abroad? “Of course, I do, but not to settle over there. I want to learn more and then incorporate those things to help the business grow,” he shared.
