Eluru Youth Gives Up Corporate Job For Remunerative Agriculture

Eluru: Many youngsters dream of higher education and corporate jobs in big cities but Phanikumar from Gangineedupalem village in T. Narasapuram mandal of Eluru district has taken the other way around. Having achieved that dream by completing his master's in business administration (MBA) and securing a job in a multinational corporation in Hyderabad, his deep-rooted passion for agriculture eventually drew him back to his village. He is proving that farming can be both profitable and fulfilling.

Phanikumar’s father was cultivating oil palm on 12 acres of land, but dry conditions were resulting in limited income. Observing this, Phanikumar decided to try something different. After carefully studying market demand and price trends, he chose dragon fruit cultivation, a crop gaining popularity for its high returns.

As an experiment, he began cultivating dragon fruit on two acres. He procured 6,000 saplings from Anantapur and planted them with great care. Unlike many farmers who rely heavily on chemical pesticides, Phanikumar adopted natural farming methods. Using cattle at home, he prepares Jeevamrutham, an organic fertiliser, and applies it to his crop. This eco-friendly approach has resulted in good yields and healthier plants.

Sharing his experience, Phanikumar said, “I sought guidance from farmers in various regions before starting cultivation. I observed that by reducing chemical fertilizers, input costs came down significantly.”

He explained that dragon fruit yields improve every year and the crop can be harvested for up to 20 years, making it a long-term investment for farmers.

The harvested dragon fruit is being supplied to markets in the Eluru district and also to Khammam and Sattupalli in Telangana, where it fetches around Rs. 150 per kg.

Phanikumar says the satisfaction he gets from farming in his native village is far greater than what he experienced in a city job. He added that many people are now approaching him to learn about his organic farming practices.

Interestingly, Phanikumar had no prior farming experience, apart from accompanying his father to the fields during holidays. His father, China Pentaiah, runs a hardware store along with his younger son and always encouraged Phanikumar to follow his passion, without forcing him into a job.

Phanikumar’s father proudly says that even though his son left the comfort of air-conditioned offices to work under the sun, staying close to family and engaging in agriculture has brought him true happiness.

Phanikumar disclosed, “Farming done with passion gives more satisfaction than a job done under pressure.” He is inspiring many educated youths to reconsider agriculture as a viable and respectable livelihood.