Farmer Earns a Net Profit of ₹1.07 Lakh Per Acre by Adopting Modern Horticulture Techniques
Published on: September 06, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Raipur, India
Moving beyond traditional farming and adopting modern agricultural techniques and horticultural crops is transforming the fortunes of farmers across Chhattisgarh.
Farmer Narayan Prasad Verma of Tengarahi village in Bagbahara development block of Mahasamund district has demonstrated how commercial cultivation of bitter gourd can become a profitable alternative to conventional farming.
With support under the National Horticulture Mission, Verma has not only doubled his income but has also emerged as an inspiration for other farmers in the region.
Government Subsidies and Schemes Provide Support
A young farmer, Verma owns 1.06 hectares of agricultural land and earlier relied primarily on traditional paddy cultivation, which provided limited income.
With the objective of increasing his earnings, he availed himself of the Vegetable Area Expansion Scheme under the National Horticulture Mission during 2025–26.
Under the scheme, he received a government subsidy of ₹24,000 for cultivating bitter gourd over one hectare of land for vegetable area expansion.
In addition, an amount of ₹5,000 was transferred directly to his bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for installing a support system over 0.50 hectare of land.
Modern Farming Techniques Boost Production
Verma introduced several modern techniques into his cultivation practices, including drip irrigation, plastic mulching and modern agricultural machinery.
These methods helped save significant quantities of water while contributing to an increase in crop quality and production.
According to Verma, farmers are earning substantial profits in a shorter period by adopting improved bitter gourd cultivation techniques and the trellis or support-system method.
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He said mulching sheets are used to retain moisture in the soil and control weeds, while drip irrigation helps conserve water and ensures efficient irrigation.
12 Tonnes of Production, ₹1.07 Lakh Net Profit Per Acre
Narayan Prasad Verma said he had earlier depended on traditional farming but was unable to generate substantial profits from it.
He subsequently began cultivating bitter gourd and found the crop to be more profitable.
With proper technical management and timely care, Verma achieved approximately 12 tonnes of bitter gourd production per acre.
After receiving an appropriate market price for the crop and deducting all cultivation costs and expenses, he earned a net profit of ₹1.07 lakh per acre.
The success has not only strengthened his family’s financial position but has also increased his confidence in agriculture.
A Model of Profitable Modern Farming
Verma’s experience highlights the potential of horticultural crops when combined with modern irrigation, mulching, support systems and technical management.
His shift from conventional paddy cultivation to commercial bitter gourd farming, supported by government assistance under the National Horticulture Mission, has opened a new avenue for higher agricultural income.
His success is also encouraging other farmers in the area to explore modern cultivation practices and horticultural crops as alternatives to traditional farming.
