The tribal hamlet of Kopre in Junnar is struggling with the depletion of its natural water reserves. This has made cultivating traditional crops such as paddy and wheat, a formidable challenge for local farmers.
Interestingly, a shift to a new crop has brought positive outcomes for Ramesh Bhiva Bangar, one of the forward-thinking farmers in the village.
Last September, he turned to cultivating strawberries — a fruit that he had never tasted until he cultivated some on his farm.
Initially, after cultivating paddy in Kharif season, Ramesh would be forced to move out to nearby villages for daily jobs that would earn him Rs 350 a day.
He learnt about the new crop of strawberries from his maternal uncle, from whom he borrowed Rs 50,000 and bought 4,800 saplings that cost him Rs 10 each.
After returning to the village, he started ploughing the field. “My father was very doubtful of my decision. He was worried that if I failed, how would I repay the loan amount?” he asks.
“He feared that I might turn to taking my life like other farmers in the drought-prone regions,” adds Ramesh.
Without losing any hope, he planted all 4,800 saplings in 10 guntha land [40 gunthas make 1 acre] and applied straw mulch over small plants to retain the soil moisture.
This also invited criticism from other farmers. “Whenever I would tell people that I was cultivating strawberries, they would mock me and label me mad and crazy,” he says.
In November-end, Ramesh finally laid eyes on the first strawberry on his farm after 45 days.
Within a couple of months, he went from earning Rs 4,000 to Rs 2 lakh per season. Every day, he harvests at least 20 kg of the fruit and manages to earn Rs 3,000 a day.
His success has become exemplary for hundreds of farmers and agricultural officers who flock to his farm every day.
“Strawberries have helped me establish an identity for myself and an opportunity to make my family proud. This is all that matters,” adds Ramesh.