Jharkhand Farmer Gains Fame for Innovative Graft Farming Techniques

Ranchi: A farmer from Garhwa district in Jharkhand has drawn statewide attention for pioneering graft farming of tomatoes and brinjals. Hridaynath Chaubey, a retired school headmaster, is behind this agricultural transformation in Banshidhar Nagar, near the Jharkhand-Uttar Pradesh border.

After retirement, Chaubey turned to farming with the goal of introducing innovations that could increase farmers' incomes beyond the limited returns of traditional crops like rice, wheat, and maize.

He started by sourcing grafted plants from Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh at Rs 10 per sapling. These grafted varieties, particularly of tomatoes and brinjals, offer double the yield and are resistant to common plant diseases. They also adapt well to different seasons, allowing farmers to reap higher profits during off-seasons when market prices rise.

Chaubey shared that while traditional farming yields only about Rs 30,000 per acre, grafted vegetable cultivation can earn farmers between Rs 2–3 lakh per acre.

According to District Agriculture Officer Shiv Shankar Prasad, grafting—especially on wild brinjal rootstock—has proven effective for crops like tomatoes, brinjals, chillies, and capsicum. The plants become more resilient and productive due to disease resistance and better adaptability.

Chaubey’s success story is now inspiring farmers across Jharkhand to explore modern techniques for improved agricultural returns.

With inputs from IANS