“I have no words to express my joy,” says Genabhai Patel, a 52-year-old differently-abled pomegranate farmer from Banaskantha district of north Gujarat, who has been busy handling a flood of visitors and calls after being selected for Padma Shri for distinguished work in the field of agriculture. “I have been flooded with calls and visitors,” said Genabhai, talking to The Indian Express over phone. His success with pomegranate cultivation has encouraged other farmers to take up the crop in this district of north Gujarat where over 600 hectares is currently under pomegranate cultivation. Watch What Else Is Making News:Genabhai narrated how he had taken “inspiration” from the “Krishi Mahotsav” organised by Modi when he was the CM in 2003-04 and had started pomegranate cultivation using drip irrigation systems. Today, my pomegranate crop is covered in 12 hectares,” said the farmer, who is assisted by his brother and sons in the farm.

Source: Indian Express January 26, 2017 00:29 UTC