Punjab’s marginal farmers’ ‘gharelu bagichi’ model goes beyond wheat and paddy
A small piece of land in Punjab, India, can provide a family with fresh fruit throughout the seasons and a new source of income through a model known as 'gharelu bagichi' or domestic fruit orchard. This innovative approach, promoted by marginal farmer Gurpreet Singh and his mentor Jagdev Singh, goes beyond planting a few fruit trees around a house.
It involves careful planning and consideration of various factors such as root stocks, plant size, available land, growth patterns, and maturity periods of different fruit varieties. By alternating fruit varieties throughout the year, families can enjoy fresh fruit at home without the need for multiple harvests. Gurpreet, a 35-year-old nursery grower, and his mentor Jagdev, a 62-year-old engineer, have together established hundreds of 'gharelu bagichis' across Punjab and beyond.
They provide guidance on what to plant, where to plant it, and how to stagger fruit production to ensure continuous harvest. The model combines large, medium, and small trees to maximize land utilization while ensuring a steady supply of fruit. The sequence of planting starts with varieties like ber, mulberry, and loquat in March, followed by peach, plum, Satluj Purple, Kala Amritsari, and apple varieties.
Later, anjeer, phalsa, grapes, and chikoo extend the harvest season, with mango varieties like Dussehri, Langra, Chausa, Amrapali, and Ram Kela maturing into October. Gurpreet began working in the nursery business at the age of 12-13, initially cultivating seasonal vegetables on leased land. Over time, he gained expertise in nursery production, rootstock preparation, and grafting under Jagdev's guidance.
Today, his nursery produces thousands of fruit plants annually, generating an estimated Rs 3-5 lakh per acre in profit, compared to around Rs 90,000 to Rs 1 lakh per acre from traditional wheat-paddy cultivation. This model is not limited to large landholdings and can be adapted for smaller spaces or urban households.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
