Royal farmer and 350 seeds

Dear Reader,

I am sure you heard or read stories about kings and queens in your childhood. But have you heard of any prince or royal family member growing vegetables?

Last week, my colleague Malay spoke to Samendra Singh Deo, a member of the former royal family of Hemgir, Odisha. Samendra began exotic vegetable farming in shade nets in 2023 to create employment for locals in the remote village. 

His hydroponic farm now produces 100 kg of veggies daily, sold within and outside Odisha. The annual turnover has hit Rs30 lakh in just two years, and Samendra expects to reach Rs1.5 crore in the next three years. 

My colleague Anu spoke to Anil Gavali from Pandharpur, Maharashtra. He is a conservationist who has saved 350 types of native vegetable and fruit seeds. His grandmother’s bypass surgery and subsequent kidney failure made him realise the importance of native seeds and natural farming in boosting health.

Today, Anil’s collection includes native seeds of 150 varieties of tomatoes, 60 types of brinjals, bananas (80), gourds (30) and corn (9), among others. He shares seeds for free with farmers and sells them to others across India. 

From Kerala, my Chandhini wrote about P J Sukhdev and P J Jyothibasu, who have set up one of India’s largest hydroponic lettuce farms in Wayanad. The brothers told her they harvest 500 kg of the leafy green every week at the high-tech facility. 

Priced at around Rs 300 a kg, the three varieties of lettuce are sold to top retailers and hotels in Kerala and exported to Dubai and Qatar. Chandhini has detailed their success strategy in the story.

Our Sunday piece features Manjarabad, India’s only star-shaped fort designed by French engineers in Hassan, Karnataka. Its mysterious shape, scenic views, misty ambience and folklore make the fort a favourite among history buffs and trekkers even today.

Happy Reading!

Warmly,

Rashmi

This former royal of Odisha grows exotic vegetables using hydroponics; annual turnover at Rs 30 lakh

This farmer conserves 350 types of native vegetable and fruit seeds; sells across India

Kerala brothers build one of India’s largest hydroponic lettuce farms; export to Dubai and Qatar

Manjarabad: India’s only star-shaped fort designed by French engineers