Many of us enjoy the heart-shaped strawberry fruit, which is high in minerals, vitamins, and has a pleasant flavour. However, we all believe it can only grow in the chilly highlands of Kashmir or Uttarakhand, or in the Mahabaleshwar hill stations. Ismail Hussain, a farmer from Nilambazar, is debunking this myth by growing the fruit on his property in Karimganj district of Assam.
Hussain has become the buzz of the town after successfully growing strawberry and watermelon as cash crops (off-season agriculture for profit). Although it's arguable, it's widely believed that he was the first peasant in Barak Valley to produce the berries.
Although the heart-shaped fruit is mostly grown in moderate temperate climates, cultivable variations have emerged in the Tropics, and it is now being farmed commercially in a number of nations in South, East, and Southeast Asia. Strawberries are currently being commercially grown in many states across India, especially the northeast, due to rising market demand.
Ismail, a native of Abdullapur Village in the Nilambazar circle of Karimganj district, comes from a farming family where his predecessors used traditional agriculture methods to grow paddy and other crops. Ismail claims that he learned how to cultivate by viewing YouTube tutorials.
Ismail described the experience as tough because he had never attempted or seen anybody else cultivate Strawberries in the area before, and any error may have cost him his whole investment. "At first, I was afraid, but I decided to give it a shot, and the outcome is in front of me," Ismail added, smiling.
His income has doubled because of the farm's neatly laid-out strawberry baskets that arrive every morning.
In addition, the crop necessitated a few extra steps. To keep rodents and rabbits from ruining his crops, he built a fence around his land. To keep the fruits from contacting the ground, plastic sheets were placed beneath the bushes.
"Many people believe that this fruit can only be produced in hilly areas, but I can assure you that it can also be grown in hot climates, as I am an example. After the early setbacks, the majority of individuals quit up. That's where you shouldn't give up," Ismail continued.
On his farm, he has also successfully cultivated watermelons and capsicum.
