From corporate to cultivation: How a Wardha couple's strawberry farm is raking in lakhs

Initially, Patil had 10 thousand plants as an experiment.

A highly educated farming couple from Wardha recently visited Mahabaleshwar and developed a keen interest in agriculture after acquiring agricultural land. Consequently, they abandoned their private jobs and ventured into organic farming. Mahabaleshwar, renowned for its strawberries, served as their source of information on strawberry cultivation. Not only did they gather valuable insights, but they also resolved to cultivate strawberries in Wardha.

However, the couple faced a significant challenge due to Wardha's hot weather. Undeterred, they persevered, and during the winter cold, strawberries with distinctive red spots flourished in Wardha's soil. This resilient couple is now reaping substantial financial rewards, earning lakhs of rupees.

The highly educated farmers, Mahesh Patil and his wife Bharti Patil from Kanholi Katri in Hinganghat taluka, made an unconventional decision to grow strawberries in the warm climate of Wardha. Typically, strawberries thrive in colder conditions. While residents of Vidarbha had been accustomed to enjoying strawberries from Mahabaleshwar, this couple successfully cultivated strawberries in Wardha, pioneering advanced farming practices.

Formerly employed in private jobs, the couple harbored a vision for innovative agricultural experiments, prompting them to abandon their jobs and embark on strawberry farming. In their initial experiment, Patil planted 10 thousand strawberry plants on 1.25 acres of land, yielding a profit of approximately Rs 1.5 lakh. Encouraged by this success, they expanded their venture, planting strawberries on 5 acres of land in August of the current year. The total investment amounted to around Rs 20 lakh, and the ongoing harvest is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 60 to 65 lakh, with a profit estimate of Rs 40 lakh, as per Patil's calculations.

Furthermore, the district administration is encouraging other farmers in the district to take up strawberry cultivation. Patil has spearheaded this initiative, planting strawberries on five acres of land, and a total of eight farmers in Wardha district have followed suit, collectively cultivating strawberries on 11 acres of land. Consequently, the strawberries from Wardha, against all odds, offer a sweeter taste than those from the famed soil of Mahabaleshwar.