Raigarh Farmer Earns Rs 4.25 Lakh from Grafted Tomato and Brinjal Cultivation
Raipur, September 2026: Grafted tomato and brinjal cultivation, in which wild brinjal is used as the rootstock and tomato or hybrid brinjal as the scion, is proving more profitable and disease-resistant than conventional farming. Such plants can withstand excess water, prolonged dry spells and heavy rainfall with relative ease.
Grafted Tomato and Brinjal Farming Generates Rs 4.25 Lakh Income
Farmer Etwar Sai Paikra, from Jharama village in Lailunga development block of Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district, has set an example of successful modern farming with guidance from the Horticulture Department. By cultivating grafted tomatoes and brinjal on land that had earlier remained unused and barren, he achieved a bumper production of 187 quintals and earned a total income of Rs 4.25 lakh.
Success Through Technology and Proper Guidance
The farmer’s land is located near a forest and away from the village. The absence of adequate irrigation facilities had made cultivation difficult. Following advice from the Horticulture Department, Paikra had the land levelled and adopted drip irrigation and mulching techniques.
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, he cultivated grafted vegetables over 0.400 hectare during 2025-26.
Production and Income
The tomato crop yielded 87 quintals, which were sold for Rs 1.75 lakh. Similarly, the brinjal crop produced 100 quintals, generating sales of Rs 2.50 lakh.
Together, the two crops produced 187 quintals and generated total sales of Rs 4.25 lakh. The farmer incurred a total cultivation cost of Rs 1.45 lakh, resulting in a net profit of Rs 2.80 lakh.
Additional Production and Income Expected
Production from the grafted brinjal crop is currently continuing. An additional production of 150 to 200 quintals is expected in the coming period, with estimated additional income of Rs 4 to Rs 5 lakh.
Inspired by Etwar Sai Paikra’s success, other farmers in the village are also showing interest in adopting modern agricultural techniques and grafted vegetable cultivation. The initiative demonstrates how improved technology, scientific farming practices and proper departmental guidance can help convert previously unproductive land into a source of substantial agricultural income.
