Berhampur: In the village of Bipilingi of Chhatrapur in Ganjam district, Bharat Reddy’s journey from barren land to flourishing orchard is a testament to his perseverance. What began as a challenging endeavour for Reddy has now blossomed into a thriving guava and citrus farm, thanks to collaboration with the Tata Steel Foundation (TSF). Initially when he was working on barren lands, Reddy’s dream of developing a fruit orchard seemed distant.
However, with TSF’s assistance, he successfully planted 1,100 guava trees and 150 citrus trees, transforming his one-and-half-acre land to a bountiful orchard. Through comprehensive training and bio-agricultural inputs provided by TSF, Reddy has reaped over three quintals of guavas this year alone. Reddy shared his excitement about the fruitful harvest, highlighting that selling the produce at `70 per kilogram in the local market has significantly boosted his family’s income. He has earned an additional income of Rs 22,000 by selling guava only and is now waiting for the citrus harvest. This remarkable achievement is further underscored by the variety of guava he cultivates—Taiwan Pink— known for its resilience and rapid productivity, maturing in just 11 months. The success of Reddy’s orchard symbolises more than just agricultural yield; it represents sustainable growth and enduring prosperity