Spl feature story; From ₹10K to ₹25L: Bhaderwah Farmer Haji Shafi’s Remarkable Rise, Who Turned Fruit into Fortune Seek government support for Cold storage and fruit mandi in the area  Slug-2907ZS_BHD_SUCCES_STORY_R By Raja Rehber Jamal  Location-Bhadarwah  VO:In an inspiring tale of hard work and determination, Haji Mohammad Shafi, an elderly fruit grower from Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir, has turned his modest income of just ₹10,000 into an impressive annual earning of ₹25 lakhs through horticulture.   Specializing in exotic Italian pears and other high-yield fruits, Shafi has become a symbol of success in the hilly Chenab region, which was once known for poverty and limited livelihood options.   But despite the growth, Shafi highlights the lack of basic infrastructure, urging the government to establish a Cold Storage facility and a Fruit Mandi in the area to support hundreds of farmers like him.   He believes that such support will not only reduce wastage but also boost the economy of the entire region.   In a remarkable transformation, the villages of Bharova, Khalo, Chatra, and Shanatra in Additional District Bhaderwah have emerged as horticultural success stories.   Once grappling with poverty and drought, these remote villages are now flourishing through the cultivation of exotic Italian pears, producing nearly 1.5 metric tons annually.   The shift to high-value horticulture has not only boosted local incomes but also inspired neighboring areas to follow suit. Farmers here credit this growth to hard work, changing crop patterns, and a favorable climate.   However, villagers now seek government intervention in the form of cold storage facilities and a dedicated fruit mandi, which they say are essential to minimize post-harvest losses and ensure fair prices for their produce.   This green revolution in the hills of Chenab Valley stands as a testament to rural resilience and the untapped potential of J&K’s highlands.    In the hilly Chenab region, most farmers prioritize staple crops like Maize, Paddy and fodder over fruit cultivation; however, in this area, horticulture is considered a valuable and viable farming activity, contributing significantly to the local economy.   The seeds of positive growth were sown when 77 years old Haji Mohd Shafi Sheikh of village Bharova in Bhaderwah, decided to switch from growing maize to horticulture in his 5 acres of drought prone rain fed land located on steep hilly slope.   Haji Mohd Shafi Sheikh said that traditionally i used to grow maize and green fodder in my land, which is drought prone and completely rain fed area and the yield never exceeded beyond Rs 10,000 to 15,000 a year.     Sheikh's family owned a 5-acre plot of land located on slope of a hill surrounded with thick coniferous forest, but its produce was hardly enough to sustain the family for six months. Until his elder son Atta Mohd's insistence, Sheikh decided to halt the traditional practice of growing maize and adopted horticulture with the hope to earn extra money, despite facing criticism from fellow villagers and relatives.    Haji Mohd Shafi said that after switching to horticulture in the year 2000, facing some extra hardships for initial 4 years, my endeavour starting gradually reaping in rich benefits and today my income from a meager Rs 10,000 a year has swollen to more than Rs 25 lakhs annually. He added that he has employed 20 fellow villagers in his orchards,where he grows exotic Italian Pears.     While recognizing his dedication and success, LG Manoj Sinha also appreciated his work during radio programme 'Awaam ki Awaaz'.   Haji Mohd Shafi Sheikh by opting innovative cultivation of Italian Pears made it a successful venture in Bhaderwah by growing more than 250 trees thereby inspiring other farmers as well. He has also grown more than 1200 trees of other fruits including Green Pear, Apple, Walnut and others in his fields.    He further said that during a routine visit of a team of scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendar, seeing my dedication and the urge to grow my orchard scientifically, One of the scientist - Dr Vikas Tandon gave me a few plants of Italian pears and that became a big turning point of my journey.      Not only for himself, Shafi also become a ray of hope for the unemployed youths of his area as they are working with him since last couple of years and are earning their livelihood.   Getting inspiration from the elderly Fruit Grower, today more than 175 families from Bharova, Khalo, Chatra and Shanatra villages have switched over to growing fruits especially Italian Pears thereby becoming leading producer of exotic fruit in the region.    The exotic dark red colour fruit which is extremely popular among the high end customers has also given a new identity to Bhaderwah Valley and has also become an added attraction for the visitors.     He demanded a cold storage and Fruit mandi in the area so that marginal farmers with 10-20 trees can sell their products easily.     The locals working in his fields have also praised Mohd Shafi for the initiative, which have taken them on new track of success by opting horticulture as their primary farming.   Italian Pears also sometimes called Red d'Anjou pears, were introduced to the market in the 1950's after being discovered as a sport on a Green Anjou pear tree. Red Anjou pears taste similar to the green variety, but they offer a stunning, deep red color that adds a distinctive look to any dish that calls for Pears.    Pears — particularly red varieties — may help decrease diabetes risk. One large study in over 200,000 people found that eating 5 or more weekly servings of anthocyanin-rich fruits like red pears was associated with a 23% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.  Feed  Shots  Bytes.  1. Haji Mohd Shafi Sheikh, Orchard owner.  2. Worker.  3. Worker.  5. Worker.  6. Walk-through Raja Rehber Jamal.  Regards Raja Rehber Jamal Chenab Valley E-mail :- rehberjamal12@gmail.com, rehberjamal12@rediffmail.com Mob:- 8803163150, 7006027038 , 7051440613