Surat (Gujarat), May 28 (PTI) When the father of a young farmer from Surat succumbed to cancer after years of using chemical fertilisers and pesticides, it left a deep impact on him and he decided to adopt
natural farming.
Now, Kalpesh Patel not only saves money spent on chemical fertilisers, but his banana production has also increased significantly. Last year, a bunch of bananas from his farm weighed 73 kg, against the average of 20 kg.
His natural banana farming gained national traction after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan interacted with him and shared his success story on social media, a government release on Wednesday said.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, natural farming has gained momentum in Gujarat, it said.
As many as 5.64 lakh farmers adopted the natural farming method on 2 lakh hectares by 2024-25, the government earlier said.
Kalpesh Patel, a resident of Saras village in Surat, gave up chemical fertilisers after his father Ramesh's death due to cancer and adopted natural farming techniques on his farm, the release said.
"When my father was diagnosed with cancer, I felt we must free ourselves from the poison of chemical fertilisers and adopt natural farming. My father used a lot of pesticides, and his body carried their strong odour. I never interfered as I wasn't involved in farming then, but after he developed cancer and passed away, it changed my life," the farmer explained.
Kalpesh inherited eight bigha of land. On three-and-a-half bigha, he cultivates more than 50 varieties of bananas with the help of natural farming.
He said he has been practising natural farming for the last seven years. "I have also adopted the forest model. I add value to my farm produce and follow the principle of my product, my price," he said.
Through natural farming, Kalpesh claims to save Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 annually per bigha spent on chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
As soil health improved, banana production increased significantly. Kalpesh said he earns Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12 lakh annually from the three and a half bigha land.
In 2025, one bunch of bananas from his farm weighed 73 kg against the average 20 kg. On his farm, the average weight exceeds 30 kg, Kalpesh said.
Several schemes have been implemented in Gujarat to encourage farmers to give up chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Governor Acharya Devvrat has also been actively promoting natural farming across the state by personally visiting farms.
The Gujarat government has introduced natural farming markets in various cities, allowing farmers to sell their produce directly.
Kalpesh sells bananas and other produce at the agricultural market in Vesu, Surat. If raw bananas remain unsold, he processes them into products like banana wafers, fig (dried product) and powder, thereby increasing his income through value addition, the release said. PTI KVM GK
