Punjab Farmers Turn 'Poor Man's Fruit' Into Profit Crop

In Punjab's wheat and rice heartland, a humble fruit once ignored as food for the poor is becoming the crop that's saving farmers money, water, and livelihoods.

Ber, also known as Indian jujube, is quietly revolutionizing farming in districts like Bathinda, Malerkotla, Mansa, and Muktsar. Progressive farmers are planting orchards of this climate-resilient fruit that thrives with minimal water and starts producing profits within just 12 months.

Jagtar Singh, a 40-something farmer in Bathinda's Baluana village, grows ber across five acres and couldn't be happier with the switch. His apple-cross variety plants produce sweet, yellow fruits weighing up to 125 grams each, selling at markets from December through February.

"Ber is usually ignored in Punjab as farmers feel other fruits are more profitable," Jagtar says. "But the market tells a different story."

The numbers are convincing. Jagtar spends about 25,000 rupees per acre on his ber orchard but earns around 200,000 rupees back, far exceeding the combined income from wheat and rice with a fraction of the water use.

Nearby in Lehra Bega village, Bhola Singh converted just 1.5 acres to ber and now matches the income from his remaining 4.5 acres of traditional crops. His 65 Umran trees need only three irrigations per year compared to the constant watering demanded by rice paddies.

The trees keep producing for decades once established. Better yet, the pruned branches sell as firewood for about 1,000 rupees per quintal, generating an extra 50,000 to 60,000 rupees annually that covers the entire operating cost.

Pest problems are minimal, requiring just one or two sprays during the growing season. The apple-cross variety is nearly thornless, making harvest easier and safer for workers.

The Ripple Effect

This shift matters beyond individual farm profits. Punjab's groundwater crisis has reached emergency levels after decades of rice cultivation drained aquifers across the state.

Ber offers a genuine solution. The fruit thrives in difficult irrigation conditions and performs well even during drought, making it ideal for Punjab's changing climate reality.

Government support is growing too, with schemes providing 20,000 rupees per acre to help farmers establish orchards. As word spreads about the impressive returns, nurseries across the region report surging demand for saplings.

Young and educated farmers are leading the change, proving that agriculture's future doesn't require choosing between profitability and sustainability. Bhola Singh plans to double his ber acreage using high-density planting techniques, while Jagtar continues grafting his entire orchard to the most profitable varieties.

What once grew wild along field boundaries is now becoming Punjab's quiet agricultural revolution, one sweet fruit at a time.