At a time when Punjab's agriculture is grappling with shrinking farm incomes, rising input costs and an overdependence on the wheat–paddy cycle, Ramandeep Singh, a small farmer, is quietly scripting a high-tech success story by growing seed potatoes in the air instead of conventional soil-based methods. The 30-year-old grower from Maur Khurd village in Bathinda district, in the very first year of cultivation through aeroponic potato seed production, has achieved a positive turnover.
Ramandeep's father, Sarabjit Singh, owns only four acres of land, traditionally devoted to wheat and paddy seed production. Out of which, the 30-year-old has converted just 2.5 kanal of land — less than one-third of an acre — into a technology-driven venture that is redefining the economics of farming. He holds a BSc in Agriculture from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU, Ludhiana) and is currently pursuing an MSc in Plant Breeding.
The Aeroponic facility includes high-tech greenhouses, dark chambers for root and tuber development, drying chambers, cold rooms and cold storage units, he informed. Plants are supported on specially designed sheets with holes, allowing roots to hang freely in the air, with proper systems for water and nutrient application.
"This allows precise control over nutrients, water, temperature, moisture and disease, making it ideal for producing genetically pure, virus-free planting material," Ramandeep explained.
Read more at The Indian Express
