Haryana engineer scripts success story by farming in MP:Had quit lucrative job; grows cotton on 22 acres in Katni, making annual profits of ₹25L to ₹30L

A person from Haryana came to Madhya Pradesh and left his engineering job to start cotton farming. From this he is earning Rs 30 lakh annually. Earlier, he was earning Rs 20 to 30 thousand per month working in a private company, but his desire to do something different connected him to farming. Bhaskar’s Smart Farmer series this time talks about Katni’s farmer Wazir Singh. He is doing cotton farming in 22 acres. Wazir originally belongs to village Laxmanpura district Rewari Haryana. He has been farming in Vilayat Kalan village of Katni since 2021. Let’s learn from Wazir Singh the story of coming to Madhya Pradesh from Haryana… Left engineering job to choose farming
Wazir Singh says that the family has been dependent on farming from the beginning. Completed mechanical engineering studies from Hisar district of Haryana in 2001. After this, started working as an engineer in a private company in Gujarat. In the company, we used to make diesel-petrol and gas line pipes. There, the salary was 20 to 25 thousand per month. In the job, one often had to work at others’ directions. Also, there are different kinds of taunts and other complications from the company. The money wasn’t enough for what was needed. For this reason, decided to take up farming. In 2014, I quit my job and returned to my village in Haryana. I was looking for land to expand farming. I learned that Madhya Pradesh is good for cotton farming, so in 2018 I bought 26 acres of land in Katni. From 2018 to 2020, I also grew wheat, rice and mustard. These crops did not yield much profit. So from 2021, I started cotton farming in a systematic way. I have been growing only cotton for the last 4 years. The farmer said that there was not enough land in Haryana for large-scale farming. Additionally, diseases in crops and humans have increased rapidly in Haryana over the past few years. Haryana’s climate is not as suitable for cotton crops as it is here. Both the soil and climate here are beneficial for cotton, that’s why I bought land in Katni. Now we are looking for more land to increase crop production. After this, we will also shift the family here. Annual profit of 25 to 30 lakhs
Wazir says that cotton crop gives more profit at less cost compared to other crops. It also requires hard work. The cost per acre is around 20 thousand rupees. Production is 15 to 16 quintals. Currently, the price is running at 7.5 to 8 thousand per quintal. Cotton crop has been planted in 22 acres, which has cost around 4 lakhs. The expected profit from this is between 25 to 30 lakhs. Cotton is sold in Nagpur The farmer said that in this area I only grow cotton crop on a large scale. Due to this, there is difficulty in transportation. After harvesting, it is loaded into trucks and taken to Mansar in Nagpur, Maharashtra. There are cotton markets and many mills there. Sales are made when the right price is available there. If people in Katni district also start cotton farming, markets and mills will be established here too, which will provide fair prices for the crop locally. Keep these things in mind for cotton crop Wazir Singh says that choose a place for farming where it can be protected from wild animals like monkeys. Additionally, keep spraying medicine from time to time so that diseases and insects cannot dominate the plants. This crop needs to be monitored every two days. Right time for Planting and Harvesting The right time to plant cotton crop is during the months of June and July. After planting, about 40 to 50 kg of sulfur, potash, urea and DAP needs to be mixed and applied per acre. Also, due to the rainy season, there is no need for irrigation, but you can water it once or twice in the last week of October and early November. After this, it is harvested.