22 September, Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) (ANI): After three years of hard effort, a 60-year-old ex-serviceman and progressive farmer from Udhampur district produced a large harvest of the Kiwi fruit by breaking away from standard agricultural practises.
Mohammad Aslam Bhat, 60, is an inspiration to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. He was born and raised in the village of Bian, Chenani Block, Udhampur district.
Bhat started raising Kiwis because he wanted to try something new in the farming industry.
After three years of hard labour, he was rewarded with a bumper harvest of Kiwi fruit and the opportunity to perform his first experiment.
Bhat, who has been a farmer for the last 18 years, hopes that more young people will get interested in horticulture so that they, too, may have a successful and fulfilling life.
Mohd Aslam Bhat’s wife, Shahina Begum, told ANI, “My husband Aslam has been working as a farmer for some years now and usually employs traditional ways to raise a range of crops. He has put forth a lot of effort to achieve this.
After the farmer went to Himachal Pradesh for some employment, everything in his life would change. During his travels to the hill state, Bhat was captivated by the rich Kiwi farms that were located there.
After learning about the high demand and therapeutic benefits of kiwi fruit, Bhat decided to start growing them in his native Bian, a small village with ideal conditions for the crop.
Bhat received substantial assistance from the Department of Horticulture as he established his own kiwi nursery. He got his daring enterprise going by buying kiwi plants in the area and importing some from Himachal Pradesh.
The farmer struggled hard for three years before he was able to harvest a large crop of Kiwi fruit. Bhat told ANI that he is confident in the success of this business venture.
Bhat said, “I have been in farming for the last 18 years, and four years ago, I started dabbling with Kiwi farming with the help of the Department of Horticulture.” They provided me with both Kiwi plants and sound guidance. We got a bumper crop of Kiwi fruits this year, so I expect to make a lot of money. Before this, I always bought my produce from the grocery store.
Since the government focused double farmers’ income, I adopted numerous agricultural methods, including those for growing fruits, vegetables, and poultry. This practise has shown that it is possible to quadruple one’s income via diligence and variety. Young people should see farming as a viable career option and consider horticulture and agriculture for the lucrative returns they provide, he said.
Jammu and Kashmir’s young people, like Mohammad Aslam Bhat, are being encouraged to seize the vast opportunities in the region’s horticultural and agricultural sectors.
With the help of government initiatives and agencies, the agricultural sector has great potential for the future of the economy and the area as a whole. (ANI)
