Back to roots: Gujarat woman returns from London after 35 years; turns into agro-entrepreneur

Kutch: In a typical example of reverse brain drain, a woman living in the UK capital London for the last more than three decades, has returned to her roots in Kutch region of Gujarat where she is growing foreign fruits and providing employment to many other families. Ramilaben Vekaria, who hails from the Patel community had been living in London for 35 years.

She has recently come to Baldiya in Kutch and joined farming and is earning lakhs by growing foreign fruits and vegetables. Ramilaben Vekariya, originally from Baldiya village of Kutch, lived in London with her family for 35 years. Ramilaben was fond of farming since childhood. Even in London, she used to grow fruits and vegetables in the garden of her house there.

Ramilaben followed the hobby whenever she came to Kutch and used to grow various crops back home as well. While her family live in London and come to Kutch during festivals occasionally, Ramilaben has returned to her roots and started farming on five acres of her land in Kutch. Ramilaben's passion has turned out to be a boon for the locals as she is providing employment to 5-6 families. With people eager to buy fresh vegetables and fruits, the Patel woman has also installed two big greenhouses in her farm at a cost of Rs 35 lakh.

In Ramilaben's 5 acre farm, she grows Tomatoes, Capsicum, Lotus Cucumber, Mango, Dragon Fruit, Dudhi, Peach, Sapota, Star Fruit, Passion Fruit, Mango Stick, Black Mango, Red Mango, Apple Bor, London Apple, Almond and pistachios. Vegetables like nutmeg, cardamom, litchi, banana, ruby longan, brinjal, papaya, black pepper, strawberry, kiwi, onion, garlic, radish, kharek and native as well as foreign fruits have also been planted here.

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Regarding the hobby of hers, Ramilaben said that she wants to live in Kutch and do farming. “Farming takes time, but the fruits of the crop are sweet. In fact the young generation should also join agriculture. In future farming will be done completely in natural way,” Ramilaben said as she turns her birthplace into a work place.