Success Story: A engineer who became a flower farmer, making millions of rupees a year
Bringing Out the Passion: Passion is more than just a word; it’s a transforming force that can change obstacles into opportunities and inquisitiveness into knowledge. It’s the steadfast dedication to learning, attempting, and being strong in the face of setbacks that results in extraordinary achievement and motivates others to pursue their goals with zeal. The inspiring tale of Mannan Agrawal shows how drive can lead to achievement. After receiving his B.Tech., Mannan quit his employment to follow his love of flower cultivation, which he had discovered during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Blooming Dreams: Mannan’s Transformation through Flowers
Mannan says, “The COVID-19 lockdown was a pivotal moment for me,” as he looks back on his path. It gave me the time and room to investigate my flower-related fascination.” Due to his passion for flower gardening, Mannan left his job in 2022, when everyone was confined to their houses and bought a tiny plot of land in Bhagwanpur tehsil in Haridwar. For Mannan, this was the start of his flower-growing career. His journey was not without difficulty, however, as he had to overcome obstacles to break into a cutthroat industry where premium flowers were essential to existence.
Obstacles and Willpower
Mannan faced several difficulties in his early flower-growing ventures. He says, “I was a recent B.Tech graduate with no previous experience in flower gardening, so I wasn’t sure where to begin. So I made the decision to fully commit to my studies.” With this in mind, Mannan read a wide range of publications, spoke with seasoned flower farmers, and checked with state and federal agencies to get a thorough understanding of flower growing. Mannan says with pride, “This knowledge was essential. I gained the information I needed from it to succeed.”
Even still, Mannan remained somewhat unconfident about cultivating flowers on his land. Still, he had the guts to begin experimenting at home with various flower varieties, discovering via trial and error how to cultivate them in the local climate. He did not immediately receive the anticipated profits, despite the large initial investment expenditures.
Requesting Assistance from the Government
At this point, Mannan’s friends advised contacting the National Horticulture Board (NHB) for support and financial incentives. Feeling hopeful again, Mannan contacted the NHB for advice. The department helped him embrace technology and gave him financial support, all while facilitating the application procedure and project execution. In 2023, Mannan planted gerberas in a polyhouse in Jarbera with the help of NHB. He says, “The National Horticulture Board provided invaluable support.” Their advice and financial support were really helpful in setting up my polyhouse for gerbera growing.”
How to Be Successful in Growing Flowers
Mannan’s commitment to farming and flower production paid off over time. He oversaw this project with great care, which produced gerbera flowers of superior quality. He has six vibrant gerbera cultivars planted by February 2023; commercial production is scheduled to start in July 2023. Every day, he prepared around 3,500 plants, which he sold for an average of Rs. 3.00 each stick. He made Rs. 37,80,000.00 in total revenue and Rs. 10,000,000.00 in operating expenditures in 2023–2024; this translated into a net income of Rs. 27,80,000.00.
The NHB provided Mannan with a back-ended subsidy of Rs. 25.08 lakh, which was a major factor in his achievement. His enterprise was so successful that it encouraged other farmers to grow vegetables and flowers under NHB programs.
Beyond the Cultivation of Flowers
Mannan’s achievements extend beyond growing flowers; in Dehradun, he also manages a primary school. His story, which began during the COVID-19 lockdown, shows how farmers in difficult circumstances may change their life by adopting modern farming methods and concentrating on high-value crops. His narrative highlights the value of ongoing education, ingenuity, and community support in attaining success in agriculture.
Motivating Upcoming Generations
The success story of Mannan Agrawal is a source of motivation for prospective farmers. His transformation from a safe engineering position to a prosperous floriculture business owner demonstrates the value of putting your all into what you love. According to Mannan, “With passion and determination, one can turn challenges into opportunities and achieve remarkable success.” Through his use of contemporary technology and unwavering pursuit of advancement, Mannan has distinguished himself and established a model for others.
