Haryana: Retired army officer takes to organic farming

An army officer has embarked on a unique venture post his retirement in Haryana. The officer has taken to organic sugarcane farming and the jaggery that he produces is now exported to foreign countries.

Panipat (Haryana): In order to encourage organic farming, a retired military officer Mahal Singh became an organic farmer. The army officer became conscious about the pesticide levels in the crops and its potential danger to consumers. To ensure that people are not harmed by consuming such produce, the ex-army officer has started organic farming in Panipat of Haryana and the venture has tasted success with the farm produce and processed jaggery finding markets abroad.

Mahal Singh had started growing sugarcane about 12 years ago; he had set up a small unit to make jaggery.

Mahal Singh says,'' I turned to traditional methods of farming at first and had continued to do the same for a long time. But after that, I felt that the way in which chemicals and pesticides are being used will have a very bad effect on the next generation; and then, I started to do organic farming of sugarcane first.''

He explains, '‘ I started preparing sugar, Khand and jaggery from the same sugarcane. These products have not only found a market in the country but also abroad.’' The jaggery that comes from Mahal Singh's unit is now exported to America, UK , France, Australia, Germany, Dubai, Nigeria and Algeria.

Mahal Singh's elder son Vijay decided to quit his job at an IT Company to make organic jaggery along with his father. Now he works in the farms and fields along with his father and helps him in making organic jaggery and sugar (khand).