The New Indian Express ·
Avocado experiment bears fruit in Kadapa
KADAPA: A Class X dropout from a remote village in Kadapa district has taken an unconventional farming experiment to the national stage. Karana Varadaraju Reddy of Velidendla village successfully raised avocado trees despite Rayalaseema’s harsh climate and harvested nearly four tonnes from his four-year-old orchard, a feat later featured by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
Varadaraju’s journey began with a simple question: could he cultivate a crop with growing demand among health-conscious consumers? After discontinuing his formal education following Class X, he decided to explore new possibilities in farming rather than stick to conventional crops.
He began watching agricultural videos on YouTube, particularly those explaining avocado cultivation, its nutritional value and market potential. He also travelled to Karnataka to observe avocado plantations and understand cultivation practices first-hand. Convinced by the growing demand for the fruit, he decided to experiment with avocado cultivation on his farm about four years ago.
