Innovative measures: Tufanganj educator pioneers fruit cultivation
Cooch Behar: Tufanganj resident Rupam Pal, a Bengali teacher at Chat Rampur High School, is making waves in North Bengal’s agricultural sector with his innovative fruit cultivation techniques. Despite the region’s traditionally unsuitable soil for certain fruits, Pal has successfully grown a diverse range of produce, including dragon fruits, apples, yellow watermelon, strawberries and other seasonal fruits.
Coming from a farming family, Pal’s passion for agriculture has been evident from an early age. Over the past eight years, he has expanded his efforts to cultivate fruits commercially on approximately 17 bighas of land. His dedication has not only yielded personal satisfaction but also substantial financial benefits.
Pal’s journey began with dragon fruit cultivation, for which he sourced seeds from Telangana. The success of this venture prompted him to explore other fruits, including guava, foreign mango varieties, and seasonal fruits, which he acquired from Raipur.
His farming practices involve starting seeds in pots, followed by consultations with agriculture department officials, before planting them in his fields.
In addition to these ventures, Pal has introduced jasmine rice from Thailand and sugar cane varieties from the Philippines in his farm. He is currently working with 150 different species of plants, including 30 types of sugar cane, to determine which will thrive in the local soil.
“Dragon fruit has proven to be particularly lucrative,” stated Pal. “From just one bigha of land, I can sell fruit worth approximately one lakh rupees. With biannual harvests, this translates to significant earnings and profits.”
Pal has also diversified his crops with seasonal trees and two varieties of sweet lemon, which yield fruit twice a year. He emphasises the importance of thorough research and proper land assessment before embarking on farming projects.
“Do not be swayed by others,” Pal advises aspiring farmers. “Gather accurate information about farming practices, assess your land conditions, and success will follow,” Pal said.
