Darvesh Patter also grows guava on one and a half acres, while two and a half acres are under net houses for vegetables such as cucumber, coloured capsicum, watermelon, and muskmelon. (Photo special arrangement)A 42-year-old Haryana man with a master’s in English left a private job with an annual package of Rs 8 lakh to pursue farming of citrus and guava on his agricultural land in Hisar district. Now, he earns around Rs 35 lakh annually, setting an example for others to follow.After completing his master’s from Kurukshetra University in 2007, Darvesh Patter initially worked at a Gurgaon-based data company’s call centre. “In 2019, I began farming citrus fruits, guavas and vegetables on our 12 acres after receiving training at the Indo-Israel Training Centre in Mangiana, Sirsa district. Before that, we cultivated cotton and wheat, which fetched only Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per acre annually. In total, our profit from the entire 12 acres was just Rs 4 lakh,” said Patter, a resident of Surewala village in Hisar.Explaining his crop diversification, Patter said, “In citrus, kinnow, sweet lime (mausami), malta and lemon (nimbu) are cultivated in eight acres. Our lemon orchard is six years old and garners nearly Rs 3 lakh profit annually. These days, kinnow is also giving a good return due to reduced cultivation area under the crop.”Patter also grows guavas on one and a half acres, while two and a half acres are under vegetable cultivation, growing cucumber, coloured capsicum, watermelon and muskmelon. “We take our fruits and vegetables to Hisar and Kaithal mandis in Haryana and Mansa and Patiala in Punjab, where we get good prices,” he added.Also read | From 11 acres to 26: this Muktsar farmer turned his land to triple his incomePatter reports earning a profit of nearly Rs 3 lakh per acre (after deducting expenses) from citrus fruits cultivation. He sells about 15 quintals of citrus fruits, generating about Rs 3.75 lakh on an average price of Rs 25 per kg.Similarly, he earns Rs 3 lakh per acre (net of expenses) from guava cultivation. He sells around 20 quintals of guava, bringing in nearly Rs 4 lakh in revenue, with the selling price ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per quintal.Patter expressed his satisfaction over the support he has been receiving from the government, “I am happy with the subsidy on horticulture, ranging from 50 per cent to 85 per cent, including up to 85 per cent subsidy on drip irrigation, 100 per cent on community ponds, and 50 per cent on new orchards.”Story continues below this adAlso read | With two buffaloes and a goat, and scientific approach, Punjab farmer creates Rs 1 cr in assetsHailing his innovative approach, Hisar District Horticulture Officer Kuldeep Sheoran said, “Farmers in Haryana receive subsidy per hectare for planting new orchards, with specific financial assistance depending on crops. For instance, guava, citrus, ber and amla orchards are supported with Rs 1,05,000 per hectare over two years, including both central and state government contributions. This benefit is applicable for up to five acres per family ID, encouraging diversification into horticulture.”Officials said in 2023, the state set an ambitious target to double its horticultural area to 22 lakh acres by 2030. Schemes such as the Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, which provides price compensation to safeguard farmers against market fluctuations, and the Mukhyamantri Bagwani Bima Yojana, which offers insurance coverage for horticultural crops against natural calamities, have already been launched.“Together, these initiatives aim to reduce risks, improve profitability, and encourage farmers to shift from traditional crops to high-value horticulture, strengthening Haryana’s position as a hub for citrus, guava, and vegetable farming,” Sheoran added.Sukhbir Siwach's extensive and in-depth coverage of farmer agitation against three farm laws during 2020-21 drew widespread attention. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Hisar