Nalanda Farmer Amesh Vishal Quits Engineering To Build Rs 6 Lakh Exotic Plum Farming Business
Bihar's Amesh proved that farming can be a high-return enterprise if research, exotic crops and smart market timing are blended well.
Published : January 24, 2026 at 12:28 PM IST
Nalanda: When Amesh Vishal, a young farmer from Nalanda, Bihar, left traditional farming and adopted integrated farming, many raised eyebrows. But today, even his adversaries and naysayers have bowed before his determination to achieve success.
Amesh, a resident of Hussaina village in the Tal area of Sarmera block in Nalanda district, left his computer science engineering studies and a job abroad to pursue farming - of exotic seasonal fruits - special plums including Green Apple Plum, Balsundari and Kashmiri Apple Plum, three years ago. These varieties are native to Thailand, but he purchased them from a nursery in Bengal and planted them on his farm.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Amesh revealed that Green Apple Plum has a sweet flavour, while Balsundari and Kashmiri Apple Plum are small, apple-like fruits with a sweet and sour taste. These fruits range in size from 60 to 80 grams. His one-acre farm has over 350 trees, including all three varieties.
In normal seasons, a single tree yields up to 50 kg of plums, but this time, weather has impacted production in a big way. This season, there was continuous rain for three days during flowering, causing fungus on the trees and reducing fruit production. While a tree typically yields 50 kg, this time only 5 to 10 kg were produced. As a result, plum arrivals in the market were low. The demand for plums increases during Saraswati Puja, but this time the supply is low, leading to skyrocketing prices.
Usually plums sell for Rs 30 to 40 a kg, but this year the price has gone up to Rs 70-90 per kg. "The trees were grown at a distance of 10 to 12 feet, giving them adequate space. The initial investment was around Rs 1 lakh, while the sale of fruits gave me back Rs 5 - Rs 6 lakh in the past two seasons," he says.
Amesh explained that he gathered information from progressive farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Kolkata and after a year of extensive research, planted these trees in 2023. Divya Tiwari, a fruit expert at Nursarai Horticulture College, explained that seasonal fruits are extremely beneficial for health. These fruits resemble apples and are rich in fibre and antioxidants.
"This time, it rained for three days during flowering, causing fungus on the tree and resultantly bearing fewer fruits. Still we earned well," informs Amesh.
"It also contains vitamins A, C, E, K and B-complex, minerals, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc, which are considered very good for health. It is beneficial for digestion, skin health, bone strength and heart disease. The Balsundari apple berry refreshes the blood while the Kashmiri apple plum relieves problems like constipation and anemia, providing strength to the body," says Divya Tiwari.
A new generation of young farmers in Bihar is slowly moving away from traditional farming and turning to integrated cultivation of exotic fruit varieties.
Amesh's success has encouraged local farmers. "I plan to expand my farm. Though there are challenges of weather and the impact on business, I would still not mind losing some part of the profit if I have already achieved success. If more people like me pursue such farming processes, we can collectively strengthen the state's economy," he adds.
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