Watch: Young Farmer Grew Avocados on Barren Land in Bhopal & Turned It Into a ₹1 Cr Business
In 2017, a young business student in London was scanning supermarket shelves when a tiny label caught his eye — “Sourced from Israel”. It was printed on a packet of avocados. That single phrase stayed with him longer than the snack he bought. It led Harshit Godha, then just 22, to a decision that would redefine his future — and perhaps India’s too.
Harshit wasn’t from a family of farmers. But the thought kept tugging at him — if Israel, with its dry climate, could grow avocados at scale, why couldn’t India? He returned to his hometown, Bhopal, with this question and soon after, boarded a flight to Israel on a tourist visa.
What followed was less travel and more toil. In the kibbutz fields of Maagan, Harshit learned how to grow avocados directly from Israeli farmers, spending weeks understanding grafting, irrigation, pruning, and soil health. His mentor, Benny Weiss, taught him not just technique but a mindset — precision, documentation, and deep respect for local conditions.
Sowing in barren soil
Back in India, Harshit had no readymade orchard waiting. He took five acres of family-owned barren land on the outskirts of Bhopal and began transforming it. He spent Rs 50 lakh on soil development, water-efficient drip systems, greenhouses, and setting up a nursery. His goal wasn’t just to grow avocados — it was to build a scalable model.
But red tape stood in the way. Importing saplings from Israel required multiple permissions, quarantine protocols, and paperwork that dragged on for months. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Instead of waiting in frustration, Harshit used this time to educate. He launched a blog, wrote a free e-book on avocado farming, and began sharing his knowledge on YouTube and LinkedIn. Hundreds of aspiring farmers began writing to him. A quiet community was forming.
The first saplings
In 2021, nearly three years after he began the journey, Harshit finally received his first batch of 1,800 Israeli avocado saplings. He planted five varieties — including Hass, Pinkerton, Ettinger, and Lamb-Hass — in raised beds enriched with compost and organic inputs.
Harshit began his journey on five acres of barren land on the outskirts of Bhopal.
He didn’t just grow for himself. His Bhopal-based venture, Indo Israel Avocado, soon became a hub for sapling distribution and agro-consulting. Harshit supplied plants to farmers in Gujarat, Assam, and even Sikkim. His model also offered a buyback option — farmers could sell their produce back to his network, reducing risk and market anxiety.
Today, he manages over 20,000 avocado plants, trains farmers, and works with luxury hotels, boutique stores, and chefs looking for locally grown, high-quality fruit.
Turning passion into prosperity
By 2023, Indo Israel Avocado had clocked over Rs 1 crore in revenue. But for Harshit, it’s not just about the money. “My goal isn’t just to grow avocados,” he says. “It’s to make ‘Sourced in India’ a reality on every label.”
He’s also building a knowledge bank — every drop of water, every pruning schedule, every pest management technique is documented. “I want other farmers to have the kind of detailed guidance I had to fly across the world to get,” he says.
Not just farming, but a movement
In a country where avocados are still mostly imported — and often considered elite — Harshit is changing perceptions. His model is sustainable, low-water, and tailored for Indian conditions. His farm uses no flood irrigation, relies heavily on mulching, and avoids chemical fertilisers. Instead, he uses compost, micro-nutrients, and raised beds to boost soil health and water retention.
Harshit offers a buyback model, helping small farmers sell their produce with less risk.
Through workshops, training sessions, and mentorship, Harshit is now helping others start their avocado orchards. And the results are already visible — small-scale farmers across multiple states are reporting success with their saplings.
Harshit dreams of building a 100-acre orchard and helping India become self-reliant in avocado production. But he’s also deeply grounded — every time a farmer sends him a photo of a healthy sapling or a budding fruit, he says it feels like the movement is growing.
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