Haji Ali Mohammad grows 30 kg tomatoes per plant and more

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Aasha Khosa • 2 Years ago
Haji Ali MOhammad in his field
Haji Ali MOhammad in his field

 

Yunus Alvi/Mewat (Haryana)

Very soon, the vegetable market in Haryana may be flooded with Pea with high calcium content that is commonly grown in New Zealand and the Netherlands. Besides being good for health this is a high-yielding crop that gives the farmer the value for his money and effort. 
 
These vegetables are being grown by a much-awarded farmer Haji Ali Mohammad of Khedla village of Nuh block in Mewat, Haryana. Even at the age of 73, this progressive farmer is experimenting with crops and adapting newer and innovative methods of farming.
 
Haji Ali Mohammad is an inspiration for the farmers of the district that is a dry area and water-guzzling crops cannot be grown there.
 
Haji Ali Mohammad has successfully grown the variety of high-yielding tomatoes commonly grown in America and New Zealand. This crop has given him a yield of 30 kg per plant and. To put it simply, he picks 1,000 crates of tomatoes per acre of land.
 

Haji Ali Mohammad's most memorable moment of life; he is being awarded by the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (Prime Minister)
 
Haji Ali Mohammed says he has been fond of growing crops since his childhood. Today when he is 73, his zeal to grow new crops and use modern ways to raise his yield or make cultivation easier hasn’t diminished.
 
He has used methods like laser leveling, bed planter, contour farming, and drip irrigation system.
 
Haji Ali Mohammad is an inspiration to others. He is available to all farmers for consultations and to share his experiences. Inspired by him dozens of farmers in the area have taken to progressive ways of farming.
 
Ali Mohammed owns 18 acres of land on which he grows fruits, vegetables, pulses, and sugarcane. He is rated as the topmost farmer of the district.
He is the only person in the district who does not take an old-age pension for which he is qualified. He said that amount must go to someone who needs it. “Allah has given him a lot.”
 
Ali Mohammad says that due to hard work in agriculture and his positive thinking he has never faced any health issues in 32 years. He is a hands-on farmer and has never felt lazy to work in his field.
 
It may be recalled that Haji Ali Mohammad has been honoured several times by the Haryana government and also at the national level. He has been in love with farming since his childhood. The authorities in Haryana’s agriculture department often cite his work to encourage others for innovation. In September 2013, he was awarded Rs 51,000 as a prize by the former Chief Minister of Gujarat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the cultivation of castor.

Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also presented him with a cash reward of Rs 51,0000 for planting 18 varieties of wheat.
 
However, Ali Mohammad has flagged some problems that he has been facing. He says that there is no proper market system in Nuh. Castor seeds have to be taken to Rajasthan for batching. Also, castor seeds – used for medicines and biofuel-  have been fetching farmers good returns of late. Also, poor power supply has added to farmers’ woes.
 
Agriculture officers from the center and state keep visiting Haji Ali Mohammad's farm. They examine the fruits and vegetables grown by him.