<p>A four kilometre drive from Arabhavi Mutt on the Gokak–Ghataprabha road in Belagavi district unfolds a remarkable story of rural enterprise. The landscape is dotted with rows of shade nets and polyhouses, housing over 120 plant nurseries that nurture seedlings and saplings of vegetables, flowers, fruits and even sugarcane. What began as a localised income-generation activity has now grown into a flourishing business that is transforming lives and reshaping the region’s economy. </p><p>Traditionally, local farmers here raised vegetable seedlings on small, raised beds. Most of the seedlings were transplanted into their own fields, a few were sold to neighbours. The scene began to change when a few entrepreneurs from Andhra Pradesh arrived and set up organised nurseries in the area. Realising the potential profitability of the business, many local farmers gradually followed suit.</p><p>A handful of nurseries soon multiplied. Today, these nurseries in and around Ghataprabha village near Gokak operate year-round. They produce seedlings of tomato, brinjal, cabbage, green chilli, capsicum, marigold, watermelon, sugarcane and more. Each crop has seedlings of hybrid and traditional varieties, and the seedlings are grown based on the cropping season. Buyers come from not only Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Ballari and Dharwad but also Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.</p><p>“About 21 years ago, I used to grow vegetable seedlings on a small patch near my field,” recalls Praveen Mutari, a nursery owner. “Once I learnt about shade nets and polyhouses, I started using them. The business grew steadily. Now, I raise seedlings on 11 acres of owned and leased land, and employ 120 workers,” he said, adding that with labour shortages rising, he has even mechanised parts of the process.</p><p>Busy market</p><p>The Ghataprabha vegetable market, one of the busiest in the region due to good road and railway connectivity, begins trading as early as 3.00 am. </p><p>“Vegetables from here are supplied in bulk to Maharashtra and Goa,” explains Mallikarjun Janamatti, senior assistant director, Horticulture Department. “Farmers from over 35 villages bring their produce here daily. On their way back, they buy seedlings from local nurseries. This encouraged Ghataprabha farmers to expand their nursery business.”</p><p>According to Janamatti, this nursery belt in Ghataprabha is one of the largest hubs of vegetable nurseries in Karnataka. Before the nursery boom, Gokak and Mudalgi region cultivated horticultural crops on around 6,000 hectares. In the last 15 years, this has increased to over 10,000 hectares. “The impact is not just local—horticulture cultivation in nearby Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts has also grown, thanks to these nurseries supplying quality seedlings to farmers,” he added.</p><p>Janamatti attributes this success to the region’s favourable conditions also. “The area near the Ghataprabha river has excellent irrigation and reddish mixed soil (locally called jaaj soil) perfect for seedlings. Farmers who once grew seedlings in the open have now switched to shade nets. Many have built polyhouses too.”</p><p>Adopting modern methods</p><p>The shift from traditional methods to modern nursery techniques has been a key factor in the growth of these nurseries. “In open-field nurseries, seedling growth largely depended on the weather, often resulting in uneven germination and weak plants. The risk of damage from animals was also higher. However, these modern nurseries now produce healthier seedlings, as they are grown in controlled environments using precise techniques,” said Mahantesh Murgod, joint director of horticulture, Belagavi.</p><p>Not every nursery is large here. Many farmers run small, high-tech nurseries on plots as tiny as 0.2 acres. “We fill plastic trays with cocopeat, sow quality seeds sourced locally and from different companies and cover them for three days to retain moisture,” explains Suresh Devamane, another nursery owner. </p><p>“Once they sprout, we treat them with crop-specific pesticides and water them regularly. In 25 to 35 days, they are ready to enter the field. Shade nets protect them from the sun and rain, so we can work across the year.”</p><p>For farmers who buy these seedlings, the benefits are tangible. “I own four acres of land — two acres each for sugarcane and vegetables. Earlier, when I used seedlings grown in open fields, yields were average,” says Raju Raibag, a farmer from Shindikurabet village. “Now, with nursery-raised seedlings, productivity has improved and crops mature faster. The plants are healthier and disease-free.”</p><p>Echoing similar experience, Siddappa Hosamani from Shirahatti B K village in Hukkeri taluk, said, “Seedlings grown in open fields sometimes failed and we suffered losses. Now, by adopting scientific nursery practices, we get better yields. I am currently planting nursery-grown vegetable seedlings across two acres.”</p><p>Thus, the nurseries thriving in this region have turned thousands of farmers’ lives greener, in every sense of the word.</p>
<p>A four kilometre drive from Arabhavi Mutt on the Gokak–Ghataprabha road in Belagavi district unfolds a remarkable story of rural enterprise. The landscape is dotted with rows of shade nets and polyhouses, housing over 120 plant nurseries that nurture seedlings and saplings of vegetables, flowers, fruits and even sugarcane. What began as a localised income-generation activity has now grown into a flourishing business that is transforming lives and reshaping the region’s economy. </p><p>Traditionally, local farmers here raised vegetable seedlings on small, raised beds. Most of the seedlings were transplanted into their own fields, a few were sold to neighbours. The scene began to change when a few entrepreneurs from Andhra Pradesh arrived and set up organised nurseries in the area. Realising the potential profitability of the business, many local farmers gradually followed suit.</p><p>A handful of nurseries soon multiplied. Today, these nurseries in and around Ghataprabha village near Gokak operate year-round. They produce seedlings of tomato, brinjal, cabbage, green chilli, capsicum, marigold, watermelon, sugarcane and more. Each crop has seedlings of hybrid and traditional varieties, and the seedlings are grown based on the cropping season. Buyers come from not only Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Ballari and Dharwad but also Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.</p><p>“About 21 years ago, I used to grow vegetable seedlings on a small patch near my field,” recalls Praveen Mutari, a nursery owner. “Once I learnt about shade nets and polyhouses, I started using them. The business grew steadily. Now, I raise seedlings on 11 acres of owned and leased land, and employ 120 workers,” he said, adding that with labour shortages rising, he has even mechanised parts of the process.</p><p>Busy market</p><p>The Ghataprabha vegetable market, one of the busiest in the region due to good road and railway connectivity, begins trading as early as 3.00 am. </p><p>“Vegetables from here are supplied in bulk to Maharashtra and Goa,” explains Mallikarjun Janamatti, senior assistant director, Horticulture Department. “Farmers from over 35 villages bring their produce here daily. On their way back, they buy seedlings from local nurseries. This encouraged Ghataprabha farmers to expand their nursery business.”</p><p>According to Janamatti, this nursery belt in Ghataprabha is one of the largest hubs of vegetable nurseries in Karnataka. Before the nursery boom, Gokak and Mudalgi region cultivated horticultural crops on around 6,000 hectares. In the last 15 years, this has increased to over 10,000 hectares. “The impact is not just local—horticulture cultivation in nearby Bagalkot and Vijayapura districts has also grown, thanks to these nurseries supplying quality seedlings to farmers,” he added.</p><p>Janamatti attributes this success to the region’s favourable conditions also. “The area near the Ghataprabha river has excellent irrigation and reddish mixed soil (locally called jaaj soil) perfect for seedlings. Farmers who once grew seedlings in the open have now switched to shade nets. Many have built polyhouses too.”</p><p>Adopting modern methods</p><p>The shift from traditional methods to modern nursery techniques has been a key factor in the growth of these nurseries. “In open-field nurseries, seedling growth largely depended on the weather, often resulting in uneven germination and weak plants. The risk of damage from animals was also higher. However, these modern nurseries now produce healthier seedlings, as they are grown in controlled environments using precise techniques,” said Mahantesh Murgod, joint director of horticulture, Belagavi.</p><p>Not every nursery is large here. Many farmers run small, high-tech nurseries on plots as tiny as 0.2 acres. “We fill plastic trays with cocopeat, sow quality seeds sourced locally and from different companies and cover them for three days to retain moisture,” explains Suresh Devamane, another nursery owner. </p><p>“Once they sprout, we treat them with crop-specific pesticides and water them regularly. In 25 to 35 days, they are ready to enter the field. Shade nets protect them from the sun and rain, so we can work across the year.”</p><p>For farmers who buy these seedlings, the benefits are tangible. “I own four acres of land — two acres each for sugarcane and vegetables. Earlier, when I used seedlings grown in open fields, yields were average,” says Raju Raibag, a farmer from Shindikurabet village. “Now, with nursery-raised seedlings, productivity has improved and crops mature faster. The plants are healthier and disease-free.”</p><p>Echoing similar experience, Siddappa Hosamani from Shirahatti B K village in Hukkeri taluk, said, “Seedlings grown in open fields sometimes failed and we suffered losses. Now, by adopting scientific nursery practices, we get better yields. I am currently planting nursery-grown vegetable seedlings across two acres.”</p><p>Thus, the nurseries thriving in this region have turned thousands of farmers’ lives greener, in every sense of the word.</p>