In a state where overseas migration has become a defining aspiration for many rural families, 30-year-old farmer Gurpreet Singh Sidhu chose to remain in Punjab and invest in agriculture, a decision he says has delivered financial stability and long-term asset growth.

Sidhu, a resident of Mansa district in Punjab, invested nearly Rs 22 lakh in 2022 to purchase 1.25 acres of farmland near Mansa city instead of using the money to move abroad. Four years later, he estimates the land is worth more than Rs 1 crore, while his horticulture-based farming operation generates daily income of roughly Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000.

“Had I gone abroad then, even after years of hard work I would probably not have earned more than Rs 50–60 lakh by now, and there would still be no guarantee of getting permanent residency,” Sidhu said.The decision runs counter to a broader trend across Punjab, where many families sell or mortgage agricultural land to finance migration to countries such as Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Italy in search of employment opportunities and long-term residency.

Sidhu’s family originally owned 2.75 acres of farmland. Through additional purchases and leased land, the family now cultivates around six acres, including four acres owned outright. Rather than following Punjab’s conventional wheat-and-paddy cropping cycle, the family shifted entirely to vegetable and horticulture farming.

The transition began after repeated attempts by Sidhu to secure government employment failed. After graduation, he spent several years preparing for competitive examinations, including recruitment tests for Punjab Police, but said the available jobs offered limited income potential.“No job was offering me more than Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 a month,” he said.

At the time, the family was also facing financial pressure after suffering losses in its brick kiln business. Traditional farming on a small landholding was generating limited returns, prompting Sidhu to begin working full-time with his father, Jasveer Singh, and great-uncle Angrej Singh in 2017.

The family initially experimented with vegetable cultivation on one acre before expanding operations after seeing higher returns through direct retail sales.“We decided to sell our produce ourselves, and that decision proved transformative,” Sidhu said.By bypassing wholesale markets and intermediaries, the family found that retail sales to consumers produced substantially higher margins for several crops compared with mandi prices.

Encouraged by the results, they gradually expanded vegetable cultivation across their holdings.Today, the farming model relies on crop diversification, staggered sowing schedules and continuous harvesting cycles designed to maintain year-round production.The family cultivates between 15 and 16 vegetable varieties annually, including cauliflower, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, pumpkin and cluster beans.

Each acre is divided into multiple sections to allow different crops to be grown simultaneously at varying stages of maturity.“The moment one section becomes vacant, we sow another crop there, and by the time that becomes ready, harvesting from another section is already underway,” Sidhu said.

“So there is never a time when we do not have vegetables available for sale.”Depending on crop type, vegetables become ready for harvesting within 45 to 80 days, with produce collected every alternate day or several times each week.The family manages most farming operations independently, including nursery preparation, crop planning and rotation cycles.

According to Sidhu, cultivation costs range from roughly Rs 20,000 to Rs 60,000 per acre depending on the crop, while monthly returns after expenses can reach Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.2 lakh or more, depending on prevailing market prices.Each morning, freshly harvested vegetables are transported directly to a roadside retail point in Mansa city, where family members sell the produce themselves.

Sidhu acknowledged that direct selling initially carried social stigma.“In the beginning, it was difficult for me to sit on the roadside and sell vegetables because there was fear of people’s taunts,” he said.He said perceptions changed after he compared the work to the kinds of jobs many migrants undertake abroad.

“Had I been in any foreign country, I would have done any kind of work there too,” he said. “Here, I am doing my own work. I own the land, I grow the crop, so why can’t I sell my own produce at my own rates?”The operation now provides year-round employment for four to five workers in addition to supporting the family’s income, according to Sidhu.

His father said the decision to invest in agriculture rather than migration altered the family’s long-term prospects.“My son’s decision is not just about farming — it is about vision and the courage to choose a different path,” Jasveer Singh said.

Sidhu said some friends who once planned to migrate overseas now contact him to say remaining in agriculture may have been the stronger financial decision.Agricultural economists and policymakers in Punjab have increasingly highlighted horticulture diversification and direct farm marketing as potential alternatives to the state’s long-standing dependence on water-intensive wheat and rice cultivation.

Rising input costs, falling groundwater levels and stagnating farm incomes have intensified pressure on small and medium farmers across the state.

Sidhu said his experience demonstrated that smaller landholdings could still become economically viable if farmers focused on crop diversity, direct sales and continuous production instead of relying solely on traditional procurement systems.

In a village on the outskirts of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir, 42-year-old apple grower Tariq Ahmad walks through his orchard inspecting trees that have defined his family’s livelihood for generations. For years, the predictable rhythm of seasons allowed farmers like him to plan harvests, manage inputs, and negotiate prices with a degree of certainty. That predictability, he says, has steadily eroded.

Erratic weather patterns have altered flowering cycles and reduced yields, forcing farmers to adapt to shorter and less reliable growing seasons. Late frosts followed by unseasonal rainfall have damaged blossoms, while prolonged dry spells have increased dependence on irrigation. “We used to know when the trees would bloom and when to expect harvest,” Ahmad said. “Now, nothing is certain.”

Agriculture remains a central component of the regional economy, with apple cultivation forming a significant share of income for rural households in the Kashmir Valley. According to data from the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, horticulture contributes substantially to employment and output, but farmers increasingly report that climatic volatility is affecting both quality and quantity of produce.

Alongside environmental challenges, farmers are grappling with rising input costs. Fertilisers, pesticides, and transportation expenses have increased over recent years, narrowing profit margins. For smallholders, who often operate on limited land and capital, these cost pressures are particularly acute.

Abdul Rashid, a marginal farmer from Shopian district, said the cost of maintaining his orchard has nearly doubled in the past five years. “We are spending more, but earning less,” he said. “Even when the harvest is good, prices in the market are unpredictable.

”Market access remains another structural challenge. Many farmers rely on intermediaries to sell their produce in larger mandis, reducing their bargaining power. Price fluctuations, often driven by supply gluts or disruptions in transport, can significantly affect incomes. During peak harvest seasons, oversupply can push prices down, leaving farmers with limited returns despite high production.

The expansion of cold storage facilities has provided some relief, allowing farmers to store produce and sell it later at better prices. However, access to such infrastructure is uneven, and smaller farmers often cannot afford storage fees or lack proximity to these facilities.

In response to these pressures, some farmers are experimenting with new techniques and crop diversification. High-density plantation methods, which involve planting more trees per unit area, are being adopted to increase productivity. Others are exploring alternative crops such as vegetables or saffron to reduce dependence on a single source of income.

Agricultural extension services and training programmes have also expanded, aimed at helping farmers adopt modern practices. Officials from the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology have been conducting outreach initiatives to promote efficient irrigation methods, pest management, and soil health improvement.

Despite these efforts, adoption remains uneven. Farmers cite financial constraints, limited awareness, and risk aversion as barriers to transitioning away from traditional practices. For many, the cost of experimenting with new methods without guaranteed returns is prohibitive.

Beyond statistics, the changes in agriculture are reshaping daily life in rural communities. For families dependent on seasonal income, uncertainty in harvests translates directly into financial instability. Education, healthcare, and household expenses are often tied to agricultural earnings, making fluctuations difficult to absorb.

Tariq Ahmad said that in years of poor harvest, he has had to rely on informal loans to meet household needs. “When the crop fails, everything else is affected,” he said. “We cannot plan for the future.”Younger members of farming families are increasingly seeking employment outside agriculture, drawn by the promise of more stable incomes in urban areas or other sectors.

This gradual shift is altering the demographic composition of rural communities, with implications for the future of farming in the region.

At the same time, some farmers remain committed to agriculture, viewing it not only as a source of income but also as a cultural and familial legacy. “This land belongs to our ancestors,” Ahmad said. “Leaving it is not an easy decision.

Government interventions have focused on improving infrastructure, providing subsidies, and promoting crop insurance schemes to mitigate risks. However, implementation challenges persist, particularly in ensuring that benefits reach smaller and more remote farmers.

Experts note that long-term sustainability will depend on a combination of climate adaptation strategies, market reforms, and institutional support. Strengthening supply chains, improving access to credit, and enhancing farmer awareness are seen as critical components of this process.

While the region’s agricultural sector continues to adapt, the pace of change is uneven, and outcomes remain uncertain. For farmers like Tariq Ahmad, the future of agriculture is increasingly tied to forces beyond their control, from global market dynamics to shifting climate patterns.

As he surveys his orchard, Ahmad reflects on the uncertainty that now defines his work. “We still depend on the land,” he said. “But the land is changing, and we are trying to keep up.”