Paresh Harivadan Patel of Vemar village in Karjan taluka started cultivating almonds to improve the farming environment. This Australian variety of almond trees grows to a height of 20 to 25 feet, benefiting the environment and increasing green spaces. Not a traditionally grown crop, almonds are new for Gujarat. Some farmers have started using social media, including YouTube, to learn newer farming techniques. Paresh came to know about the cultivation of almonds, After scouting, he found a nursery in Gandhinagar that grew seedlings of this variety. Then, he bought about 700 plants and planted them as an experiment to start a new venture. According to him, "The cost of one plant is Rs.120 but with the cost of transportation to Vemar, it costs him around Rs.200." He added that the signs until then were encouraging.

Author-Raveena