NELLORE: Making use of work from home option during Covid-19, a techie couple has taken up farming at Regadapalle in Daggavolu panchayat of Dakkili mandal and started reaping good profits, besides becoming role models for young ryots.
Narisetty Pavan Kumar (35) of Tirupati, and his wife Revathi (32) of Srikalahasti work as software engineers in a private firm in Bengaluru with a good salary. Having interest in agriculture, Pavan purchased 28 acres of land at Regadapalle village in 2018.
Initially, they raised lemon plantation. As it is a long-gestation crop, the couple had taken up cultivation of Taiwan guava on 7 acres of land by getting saplings from Tadepalligudem. They adopted modern methods of cultivation to reap a good crop yield.
The couple set up their house in their fields to actively take part in agriculture.“It is due to my personal interest in agriculture, we built a house in the fields. We work in the fields up to 11 am everyday. Then we get back to the work. We monitor the field work during our leisure time. We have taken training in modern methods of cultivation and use of bio- fertilisers at the National Institute of Plant Health Management in Hyderabad,” said Pavan.
The couple used to approach the Horticulture Department to adopt the best crop management practices.
About 30-40 daily labourers from Sydapuram mandal are working in their guava plantation. The couple had reaped 35-40 tonnes of guava fruit as the first crop yield, which fetched them Rs 8 lakh income.
“Now, fruit traders from Gudur, Sullurpeta, Naidupeta and other parts of the district are directly approaching the couple to purchase guava from the fields,” said Anand, Horticulture Officer of Venkatagiri.
In fact, 60% of Taiwan guava fruit sold in Gudur revenue division is from the fields of the techie couple.
“We are also offering special package to local vendors by supplying about 800 kg of Taiwan guava on alternate days. We get a price of Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg of guava. “We are expecting a fruit yield of 20 tonnes more before the end of the season in September,” said Pavan. Now, Revathi is planning to develop a platform for online trading of Taiwan guava.