UQ Graduate Date Plantation

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I again indulged in horticulture today. I was able to visit a UQ graduate of Gatton Queensland who owns a date plantation in this region of Bhuj. I toured his plantation and saw people at work like I have never seen before. Unlike Australia the work is very laborious. Men and women and their children toil on the farm like an organised society, of which I truly believe Rahaul (the owner) has created. I was so impressed to learn that all the workers and managers live on the plantation. All medical is taken care of, and a teacher (a managers wife) lives on the plantation and takes daily school classes for the children. Rahaul also has worker incentive with bonuses given to each worker who accumulates 300 work free days out of 365 days. Their daily wage is 60 rupees and the bonus is 10 rupees for each day. So that works out to 3000 rupees bonus. By devising such a management plan of his workers he has been able to retain skilled workers for the whole time the plan has been running, compared to before when workers would leave after three months or less. Along with his dates he produces grapes and figs. I was in fruit heaven. It was so nice to eat fresh fruit pesticide free straight off the trees.

I stopped at Bhujodi a township famous for mirrowork embroidery and purchased three gorgeous shawls.

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Photos

Tess driving in India!!
Hey look at me I'm driving for the first time in India. Don't worry all I tackled on my very short journey of country side was herdsmen and their sheep or goats and a cow or two. The traffic amazingly was almost nil. I think they must have been alerted I was going to be driving that morning.

Tent City
Young date plantation. These trees will yield about 30kg each within four years and about 250kg each/yr at about 8 years. I am so investing in dates.

First Generation Daughter Plants - Date Plantation
A complete success.

Men at Work
Composting at the root boundary.

Women at Work
Off to shovel compost into the trailer.

Fresh Figs
Indulging in fresh figs and other fruits picked straight from the trees on the date plantation.

Comments

[cav]

checkin in
hey tess, it's been great reading your site, I had ten days off over the break, hey guess what i love indian tea too, its the bomb hey! good for sick tummies too! I've had my share of dehli belly baby! I won the dress up award first prize @ gym, boot camp! how cool is that! we're starting an organic co-op in Ippy too, so exciting, already got a few households interested! luv cc

[Wings to fly]

Hey Cav. I am so needing to come home though. Can't wait to make tea Indian style for you. Lots of love Tessy x0x0x Hope the gym is missing me. x0x0