Meet Rajeev Bhaskar, MBA graduate who quit his job to grow guavas, now earns Rs 1 crore

Success story: Rajeev Bhaskar, a successful agripreneur, never thought that his previous job as a sales and marketing team member at VNR Seeds would lead him to become a farmer and entrepreneur. His experience at the seeds company gave him the chance to talk to farmers from different parts of India and sparked his interest in agriculture. Rajeev gained knowledge of Thai guava variety and its farming from interacting with farmers who planted them.

In 2017, Rajeev quit his job to grow Thai guavas on five acres of rented land in Panchkula, Haryana. He used residue-free farming methods, where biocides and biofertilizers made from organic materials are used to promote and protect crop growth. He also used a three-layer bagging technique to protect against damage and pest infestation, ensuring even color dispersion and safe fruit development until harvest.

After harvesting and selling his first crop of guavas in October and November of 2017, Rajeev earned a total of Rs 20 lakh. He then ventured into residue-free vegetable production but failed to effectively promote his product. He opted to continue with Thai guava farming and leased 55 acres of land in Rupnagar, Punjab, in 2019 with three other investors.

Rajeev and his team planted guava trees on 25 acres of land and continued to cultivate Thai guavas on the Panchkula plantation's five acres until the owner sold it in 2021. They pick the guava plants twice a year, during the rainy season and winter, but only harvest during the rainy season to minimize competition from other types and sellers. They deliver their goods in 10-kg crates to the Delhi APMC market, earning an average profit of Rs 6 lakh per acre.

Rajeev plans to increase his guava plants' average maximum yield from 25 kg per plant to 40 kg per plant in the future. He emphasizes the importance of using organic farming methods in regions where chemical farming is not often practiced. However, maintaining organic farming in areas where neighboring farms use chemicals would be challenging due to the vulnerability of pest attacks. Additionally, large-scale organic or natural farming is a costly and labor-intensive undertaking, resulting in a lower final yield.

Rajeev's experience at VNR Seeds company inspired him to pursue farming, and his success in residue-free farming of Thai guavas serves as an example for other entrepreneurs who are interested in sustainable agriculture.

Read more: Meet Ajay Swamy, chaiwala-turned-entrepreneur; know how he built a profitable farming business