[www.keralites.net] Savi Thangavel - age 68 Date Farming Changed This Vidarbha Farmer’s Life - Nagpur [2 Attachments]

 

Savi Thangavel - age 68 Date Farming Changed This Vidarbha Farmer's  Life & He Can Help You Set up a Farm Too :-

A poor farmer's son who had to live in an orphanage has become one of the most successful farmers in the drought-prone Vidarbha region and wants others to follow his footsteps and end farmer suicides.

What is unusual about Thangavel's farm is that he doesn't grow crops like soyabean, paddy, cotton or sugarcane, usually grown by Vidarbha farmers, but you can see 130 organically grown date trees loaded with at least 25 kg to 30 kg of dates on each one of them.

Thangavel, who loves the soil and weather of Nagpur originally belongs to a very small village called Pudupaliyan in Selam district of Tamil Nadu. His father was a poor farmer and both his parents had to work as farm labourers to manage one meal a day for him and his six siblings. Being the youngest of all, Savi was sent to an orphanage at the age of six so that he could study. After studying till class 10, and a year in pre-university,

"While leaving for Nagpur, my father gave me a piece of advice which I always followed and which is the reason for my success today. He said: 'Never put your money in the bank or in your hand rather put the money in the soil' and I did so," he says.

Thangavel realised that date was one fruit which is grown in the deserts, and can survive in extreme temperatures and does not require very fertile soil and regular watering.

He then bought 130 tissue culture date plants and planted them in his 2-acre land. The experiment was completely new in Vidarbha. It was the first time that someone was doing date farming here and sadly,Thangavel became a laughing stock there.The cost per plant at the time was Rs 6,000, so it was an investment with a huge risk.

However,within 3 years the plants bore fruit and in the fourth year, Thangavel harvested nearly 25 kg- 30 kg of dates from each tree.The dates were sold for Rs. 300 per kg, giving him a huge profit, though marketing the product was also not an easy task initially.

"Many people did not know about this fruit when I started selling them. What people know is the normal dried Khajur, which is available in the market. We have to create awareness among the people about fresh Date fruit. What I did was I went to the busy roadside and distributed the fruit to people. Many said that it is Ber, many appreciated, some laughed at me, some looked with suspicion but I did my job. It is your outlook, how you see the situation. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Certainly I see a very bright future for these dates," says Thangavel.

At present,Thangavel owns 25 acres of land. He has planted 300 new date plants of six new varieties in another four acres. Each tree now produces almost 100 kg of dates. Thangavel has reduced the price to Rs. 200 per kg for local customers.

In winter,Thangavel opens his farm for visitors to pick their own strawberries.

Contact Details:

Thangavel Date Plantation

Green House,
Near Zilpi Lake,
ZilpiMohegaon – P.O,
Hingna –Tasil,
Nagpur – 441110

Phone :Mr.Thangavel : +919923086994, 9822743228

Email : contact@datesnagpur.com

full article in the link below 

http://www.thebetterindia.com/107734/thangavel-date-plantation-nagpur/

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Posted by: Ravi Narasimhan <ravi.narasimhan.in@gmail.com>

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