From Martial Arts to Mandarin Magic: siram’s Orchard Success
Inspired by the agricultural potential of Arunachal Pradesh, Siram embarked on a journey from martial arts instructor and film enthusiast to a thriving orange farmer. Recognizing the region’s fertile land and ideal climate for citrus cultivation, he initially tested the waters in the early 2000s by sourcing oranges from Siang farmers and selling them to dealers in Assam, generating an initial profit of approximately 50,000.
This early venture revealed the appeal of direct-from-the-garden sales. As Siram explained, the simplicity of the process - with buyers handling the picking, loading, and transportation - proved attractive. Though, realizing his farming ambitions presented immediate hurdles. Accessing his father's land,situated across a river with limited road infrastructure,proved difficult. Undeterred, Siram purchased two hectares of land in Rottung village in 2003, establishing his first orange plantation in 2007.
By 2012,farming had become Siram's sole focus,leading him to step down from his role running a taekwondo club. He steadily expanded his orchard, reinvesting profits into acquiring more land. Despite his dedication, a lack of formal agricultural training initially hampered his progress, leading to early setbacks and learning through trial and error.
A pivotal moment arrived in 2021 when Siram enrolled in a horticulture course at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, pasighat. This education proved transformative. He discovered the critical role of scientific and systematic pruning in maximizing fruit yield - a technique he hadn't previously understood. "Before, my harvests were inconsistent as pruning wasn't done correctly," Siram stated. "But the training made all the difference."
The impact was immediate. In 2021, Siram reported a profit of 15 lakh from his orange harvest and anticipates even greater returns this season. building on this success, he has diversified his farm, cultivating sweet lemons, “sugandh mantri” (an aromatic herb), black turmeric, medicinal plants, and even sandalwood trees, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable and varied agricultural practices.
