Farmers in Punjab have scripted a new history! Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji, the farmer-friendly schemes and the promotion of modern agricultural techniques brought in by the Punjab government have changed the meaning of farming in the state.
Now, young engineers are also leaving their multi-lakh jobs to adopt agriculture as their main business and are earning a magnificent profit of ₹12 to ₹14 lakh using advanced techniques like polyhouses. This is not just the story of one farmer, but of an agricultural revolution progressing towards 'Rangla Punjab' (Vibrant Punjab).
Under the directions of Punjab's Horticulture Minister, Shri Mohinder Bhagat, the Horticulture Department is working rapidly to encourage crop diversification and increase the income of farmers in the state. Availing the benefit of government schemes, Harbir Singh, a farmer from Sarabha village in Ludhiana district, is earning good profits today from polyhouse farming and has become a great inspiration for other farmers.
Smt. Shailender Kaur, Director of Horticulture, said that after obtaining an Electrical Engineering degree, Harbir chose farming as his main occupation instead of a job. He has set new benchmarks by combining traditional farming with modern techniques.
Farmer Harbir Singh says that he received complete information and training related to polyhouse farming from the Horticulture Department. He shares that today, he is cultivating seedless cucumber, coloured capsicum, muskmelon, potato, and fenugreek under the polyhouse. Harbir Singh is earning an average profit of ₹12 to ₹14 lakh from this modern farming.
Farmer Harbir Singh stated that in 2014, making a change in the traditional way of vegetable farming, he received training from the Centre of Excellence (Vegetables) located in Kartarpur. Under the 'National Horticulture Mission' scheme run by the Horticulture Department, he availed a subsidy to set up a polyhouse and started cultivating coloured capsicum and seedless cucumber.
Harbir Singh mentions that he regularly contacted the officials of the Horticulture Department for solutions to the problems encountered during farming. According to the farmer, complete diligence in farming, dedication to work, deep understanding of problems, and the assistance received from the Horticulture Department officials are the keys to his success.
The farmer-friendly schemes of the Punjab government are proving to be a boon for the farmers. Farmers like Harbir Singh prove that the right technology, hard work, and government support received under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Ji can together open the path to prosperity for the farmers of Punjab.