Abhinav Singh grew up in the village of Chilbila in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh, surrounded by stories of his family’s farming heritage. But like many young Indians, his path initially led him far from home.

After completing his BTech, Abhinav landed a job at Microsoft and moved to England. Life there was luxurious, but something felt incomplete. “Even though I felt happy, I never felt accomplished,” he shares.

So, in 2015, he returned to India and worked at Microsoft’s office in Gurgaon. It was during this time, while visiting his family in Varanasi, that he began exploring the idea of a venture in agriculture. “Our family has been into agriculture for generations,” he shares.

His ancestral farmland in Chilbila sparked his interest in farming. He initially tried organic vegetable farming, but it didn’t work out. “So I researched for a more viable product to cultivate and stumbled upon the idea of gerbera farming,” he says.

Through his research, Abhinav realised there was a high demand for gerbera flowers in Uttar Pradesh, especially during the wedding season. “Since they are not cultivated here, they are mostly sourced from places like Pune and Bengaluru,” he explains.

Gerbera flowers require cool conditions, so Abhinav set up a 4,000 sq ft polyhouse on one acre of land. The setup cost Rs 58 lakh, with 50% subsidised by the government. It took nearly two years to secure the loan and get the project approved.

In October 2020, he planted his first batch of gerberas, and by February 2021, he had his first harvest. “Since then, there’s been no looking back,” he says proudly. Today, he cultivates around 2,000 flowers daily, selling them in bundles.

The flowers’ longevity gives Abhinav an advantage. “Even after plucking, gerberas survive up to four days in summer and 10 days in winter,” he explains. This makes them a more economical option compared to vegetables, which spoil faster.

Abhinav earns around Rs 18 lakh annually from his gerbera farm, with each flower priced at Rs 4 on average. Prices fluctuate based on demand, especially during the wedding season, with bundles of 10 flowers ranging from Rs 30 to Rs 110.

His farm has also created jobs for nearly 20 people in his village. All of these people work in the field.

Looking ahead, Abhinav plans to expand his venture into organic vegetable farming and even transform his farm into a village resort for agri-tourism. “I always wanted to provide livelihoods to at least a few of the villagers,” he says.