Beed, Maharashtra, faces water scarcity, but Parmeshwar Thorat found a way to make avocado farming work even in the drought-prone region.
“I wanted to move away from traditional crops (like pomegranates) and try something unique and innovative,” says Parmeshwar.
The idea of avocado farming took root in 2018 after a trip to Bengaluru, where Parmeshwar learned about the Arka Supreme variety, perfect for Beed’s climate.
He visited ICAR-IIHR to learn more and ordered 50 saplings to start his venture. This high-yielding variety thrives even in temperatures up to 45°C.
Starting out was tough. Beed’s extreme temperatures and water scarcity made avocado farming seem impossible. But the farmer was determined to make it work.
He dug pits, used cow dung manure and installed a drip irrigation system to manage water efficiently.
To further combat water scarcity, he relies on rainwater stored in a pond to irrigate his farm during dry months.
By 2021, the first fruits appeared. A year later, he earned Rs 3 lakh, selling avocados for Rs 200 each.
To boost plant health and yield, he began grafting using rootstock from Tamil Nadu and scions from his own plants. By 2022, he had successfully grafted 250 saplings.
From just 50 saplings, his farm has expanded to 1.75 acres with 300 avocado trees. In 2023, he earned Rs 5-6 lakh from 1,200 kg of avocados.
Besides selling fruit, Parmeshwar sold 2,300 saplings in 2023, earning Rs 4.6 lakh in his income. His total net profit for the year was Rs 10 lakh per acre.
In the future, Parmeshwar plans to expand his business to Delhi and Mumbai. “I want to teach other farmers how to grow avocados in drought-prone areas,” he says.