Neeraj Kumar from Begusarai
The pride of the salad, the lemon, can be seen in every kitchen. However, in Bihar, most farmers still focus on cultivating crops like rice, wheat, corn, lentils, and chickpeas, along with seasonal vegetables and fruits like mangoes and lychees. Despite being sour in taste, lemons add sweetness to the life of their growers. A farmer in Begusarai now earns up to 6 lakh rupees annually by cultivating lemons in just 10 katthas of land, with minimal expenses.
Initiating Lemon Cultivation
A farmer named Raushan Singh from Vikrampur Panchayat in Begusarai district used to run a bike service center before venturing into lemon cultivation. One day, a young man selling lemon seeds came to get his bike serviced, sparking Raushan’s interest in lemon cultivation. He started with 50 lemon plants in two katthas of land and eventually expanded to 200 plants in 10 katthas. Raushan highlights the need for regular pruning and pesticide application to protect the lemon orchard from diseases like leaf miner, citrus psylla, and citrus canker.
Lucrative Lemon Business
Raushan Singh reveals that one lemon plant costs 200 rupees, with fruit production starting three years after planting. Each plant requires an additional 100 rupees for proper care and maintenance. Remarkably, a single plant continues to bear fruit for up to 15 years, yielding 4000 to 6000 fruits annually. With wholesale prices as low as 1 rupee per lemon, cultivating lemons in 10 katthas of land can generate earnings exceeding 6 lakhs per year. Santosh, a lemon seller in Cheriyabaripur market, shares that he buys lemons for 3 rupees each wholesale and sells them retail for 5 rupees each, highlighting the profitability of lemon cultivation in the region.
बिहार के बेगूसराय जिले में नीरज कुमार नामक एक किसान ने नींबू की बागवानी से बहुत अच्छी कमाई करना शुरू की है। उन्होंने बताया कि नींबू की खेती करने से उन्हें सालाना 6 लाख रुपए तक कमाई हो रही है। इसके लिए उन्हें केवल 10 कट्ठे की जमीन की जरूरत होती है और फिर भी उन्हें कोई ज्यादा खर्च नहीं करना पड़ता। उन्होंने बताया कि नींबू की बागवानी से साल में 6 से 10 हजार रुपए कमाई हो सकती है।
