Solan farmer bags national agriculture award

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 20

Karan Singh Thakur, a young farmer from Dharo Ki Dhar village of Solan district, has brought laurels to the state by bagging the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Antyoday Krishi Puruskar (Zonal)-2019, which is conferred by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The award was announced during the 92nd foundation day celebrations of ICAR last week. In Zone 1, which comprises Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Karan shared the award with Chakmaur Singh of Moga, Punjab. The award carries a citation and a cash prize of Rs 25,000 each and it recognises the contributions of marginal and small farmers for developing sustainable integrated models of farming.

A postgraduate in fruit science from Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, he ventured into flower and fruit plants nursery production in 2012-13.

He utilised his professional entrepreneurship skills in setting up a commercial nursery producing fruit plants along with protected cultivation of flowers. Starting from a polyhouse of 100 sq m in 2012, he has expanded his venture to a 3,000-sq m area. “Using a polyhouse, I now cultivate carnation flowers which fetch me around Rs 13 lakh annually,” said Karan.

His other exemplary achievement is the production of quality nursery of apple, plum, pear, pomegranate, kiwi, apricot, peach nectarine and persimmon. The fruit nursery business fetches him around Rs 14 lakh annually and also helps provide jobs to several locals. Karan acknowledges the support he received from his university and the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Solan. His success has helped him become an inspiration for young farmers who want to pursue agriculture.

Parvinder Kaushal, Vice-Chancellor, UHF, congratulated Karan and said it was heartening to see an alumnus of the university succeed in the agri-horticulture field and become an inspiration for students and farmers of the state.

Nursery of flower, fruit plants

• Karan Singh Thakur (pic) ventured into the business of flower and fruit plants nursery in 2012-13.
• Starting from a polyhouse of 100 sq m in 2012, he has now expanded it over 3,000 sq m.
• He cultivates carnation flowers and has a quality nursery of apple, plum, pear, pomegranate, kiwi, apricot, peach nectarine and persimmon.