Archive · 11 Oct 2026
Ferozepur Farmer Uses Crop Cycles to Boost Year-Round Farm Income
Manpreet Singh farms five acres in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Instead of growing just one crop on each plot, he plans several growing cycles through the year.
He raises young plants in nurseries and sells them to farmers who are ready to plant.
After a nursery cycle, he may grow a short-duration crop on the same land.
He also grows crops such as garlic and cucumber and keeps Murrah buffaloes.
Singh estimates his approach can earn more per acre than conventional wheat-paddy farming, but says returns depend on the crop and its market price.
He uses drip irrigation on most of his land and employs about 12 people.
Punjab Agricultural University recently gave him the Sardar Ujagar Singh Dhaliwal Award.
He hopes to increase his income from the same land by using newer farming techniques.
Manpreet Singh, 34, uses successive nursery and crop cycles on his five-acre farm in Rahim Ke Uttar village, Ferozepur.
He estimates the model can generate Rs 6 lakh-Rs 7 lakh per acre annually, though returns vary with crops, costs and market prices.
His operations include vegetable, paddy and Basmati nurseries, short-duration crops, garlic and sugarcane.
He says nursery production followed by short-duration paddy or Basmati can return about Rs 3 lakh per acre over more than five months.
Singh employs around 12 people, uses drip irrigation on most of his land and received an award from Punjab Agricultural University.
- Who
- Manpreet Singh, a 34-year-old farmer.
- What
- He combines nursery production, successive crop cycles and other farm enterprises to earn from the same land throughout the year.
- When
- He began farming with his father in 2007 and started raising onion seedlings in 2020.
- Where
- Rahim Ke Uttar village in Ferozepur, Punjab.
- Why
- He aims to make existing land more productive and generate income through multiple crop cycles.
- Farm size
- Five acres
- Estimated annual return
- Rs 6 lakh-Rs 7 lakh per acre, according to Singh
- Nursery customers
- Around 250, mainly farmers buying ready-to-transplant seedlings
- Paddy and Basmati nursery area
- Around 2.25 acres, used twice for nursery production during the season
- Employment
- Around 12 people, including three permanent workers
- Dairy herd
- Around 10-12 Murrah buffaloes
- Award
- Sardar Ujagar Singh Dhaliwal Award from Punjab Agricultural University