A decade ago, most of his peers made their way abroad to make a fortune by earning dollars, but Boharh Singh Gill preferred his homeland and took up his family’s occupation — agriculture. Ten years down, the 34-year-old, popularly known as Yadveer Singh Gill, from Saideke village in Punjab’s Faridkot district earns as much as his peers in dollars.
Starting with his ancestral 37 acres, Boharh expanded to 250 acres by leasing additional land, opted for multiple crops, and installed a large-scale sprinkler irrigation system to conserve water and significantly improve the quality and quantity of his produce.
After completing his BSc in agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, Boharh returned to his village, which is strategically located between two canals — the Main Branch and Gang Canal.
Starting with traditional wheat and paddy, he soon ventured into potato on two acres. Buoyed by the result, he expanded, growing potatoes for both table and seed purposes. To meet the growing demand, Boharh leased an additional 200 acres to cultivate sugar-free potato varieties like Diamond and LR.
“I started with wheat and paddy in my land, then potatoes in a few acres. The result encouraged me to stop growing wheat and focus on potatoes. I also started leasing land to expand my farming. This year, I am cultivating potatoes in 250 acres, including 37 acres of my ancestral land,” said Gill. “The demand for sugar-free potatoes is very high and I cannot meet the orders I get.”
His diverse crop portfolio now includes, apart from potatoes, maize, moong, paddy, and premium Basmati rice.
Recognising the challenges of water scarcity and the need for sustainable practices, he installed sprinkler irrigation systems two years ago, starting with 40 acres. “The results were outstanding. I’ve reduced water consumption in potato farming by over 50 per cent. This method also enriches the soil with nitrogen from the air, which comes down to soil with water pressure, reducing urea consumption by 40 per cent and improving crop quality and yields. As the system kept the soil soft, I expanded it over 150 acres. I plan to bring all my land under the sprinkler system,” Boharh said.
The results speak for themselves — 25 quintals increase in potato yield per acre and 10 quintals boost in maize production per acre, he said.
“I use nano urea with the sprinkler system. I place fertiliser near the tubewell that powers the sprinklers and it spreads fertiliser all over fields through irrigation. With the sprinkler system, I can irrigate 100 acres in just one day, while the traditional trench flood irrigation system covers only 15-20 acres per day,” he explained. “Sprinkler irrigation moistens the soil evenly, eliminating the need for flood irrigation as in the traditional method. Also, in maize farming, pests are less likely to thrive because if they do appear, they get washed away by sprinklers,” he added.
Acknowledging the government support, he highlighted the substantial subsidies available for sprinkler irrigation: 80 per cent for male farmers and 90 per cent for females. “After subsidies, the cost is just Rs 15,000 per acre,” he said encouraging farmers to take advantage of the scheme.
Despite high input costs and an annual lease payment of Rs 70,000 per acre for 200 acres, the farmer’s meticulous planning and innovative techniques yielded impressive results. With a net profit of Rs1 lakh per acre after meeting all expenses his annual earnings from 250 acres stand at Rs 2.5 crore. “This income matches or even surpasses what my friends earn in dollars abroad,” he said proudly.
“I’ve never burned paddy residue. Instead, I incorporate the stubble into the soil, which has enriched it with organic matter and increased my yields,” he said, adding, “I have all necessary machines to manage stubble effectively.”
In addition to adopting sustainable practices, he owns advanced farming machinery worth Rs 5 crore — all purchased with earnings from agriculture.
He is creating employment opportunities, providing temporary jobs for 3-4 months each year to around 250 people and permanent employment to approximately 20 individuals.
Faridkot Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Dr Amrik Singh, who has recently visited his farm, said, “This young farmer has shown through his inspiring story that staying rooted in one’s homeland and investing in agriculture can lead to a fulfilling and prosperous life, rivalling the allure of foreign lands.”
The CAO emphasised the benefits of sprinkler irrigation. “With proper installation and pressure regulation, one can save a significant amount of water. Sprinklers keep the soil soft, unlike flood irrigation, which hardens the soil. There is no water wastage with this method, and in many cases, it even helps control pest attacks,” he added.
Boharh’s plans include further diversification and adopting cutting-edge agricultural practices to boost productivity and profitability. “My journey is far from being over. Farming in Punjab has immense potential,” Boharh said, adding: “With hard work, sincerity and passion, one can achieve unlimited success.”
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