Punjab farmer’s switch from wheat-paddy to organic horticulture triples income, cuts out middlemen
Balwinder Sandhu, a 51-year-old farmer in Muktsar Sahib district, Punjab, has transformed his family farm into a diversified organic enterprise, increasing his income threefold. Starting with just two acres of horticulture in 2010-11, Sandhu now manages 26 acres, of which 20 are dedicated to ‘Preet Agro Nature Way Farm’, producing 35-40 varieties of fruits, spices, and seasonal vegetables.
Sandhu inherited about 11 acres from his father and gradually expanded, investing farm earnings to purchase additional land worth over Rs 4 crore. He shifted from traditional wheat and paddy farming after seeing market demand for fresh produce. “I started with just two acres of horticulture, shifting from wheat and paddy. I gradually expanded after seeing the response from customers,” he said.
His orchards include kinnow, daisy, malta, mitha, Nagpuri orange, Japanese orange, lemons, chakotra, dragon fruit, strawberries, peaches, plums, mangoes, pears, guava, grapes, jamun, mulberry, and ber. Alongside, he grows seasonal vegetables like watermelon, muskmelon, maize, chillies, turmeric, and mustard, processing some into powders and oil for direct sale. He also cultivates rare wheat varieties such as Bansi and Sona Moti, which he claims have low gluten and are more nutritious.
Sandhu’s model relies on direct sales to consumers, bypassing middlemen. “If a product is sold for Rs 150 per kg in the market, we try to provide it for Rs 70-80 per kg,” he said. Customers can also pick fresh produce from the farm, building trust. This approach allows Sandhu to offer organic products at prices comparable to conventional produce while retaining fair profit margins.
He estimates that diversified horticulture can generate Rs 2-3 lakh per acre annually, compared to Rs 90,000-1 lakh from wheat-paddy. However, he notes higher input costs, with organic manure costing around Rs 3 lakh per year, four to five times more than chemical fertilisers. Sandhu advises farmers to start small and expand gradually to fully benefit from diversification.
