Imagine waking up one day and being told that a fruit you’ve grown for your family in your terrace garden sells for Rs 2.5-3 lakh per kg. 

When the news came to Joseph Lobo, he did not immediately believe it. 

“I knew the mango variety was rare and expensive, but I didn’t realise how costly it could be. My family and friends consumed the first yield, unaware of its value,” the farmer tells The Better India.

Lobo grows the Miyazaki Mango which is a Japanese variety known to be one of the most expensive in the world. He is one of the few farmers in India who have successfully harvested the fruit.

Besides the variety, Lobo also grows other 200 varieties of plants including fruits and flowers on his terrace farm. And the best part? He only uses organic fertilisers and techniques such as hydroponics to farm.

Here is all you need to know about this humble farmer’s magnificent farm – 

‘All I have is a terrace’ 

Born in a small village in Udupi, Lobo grew up in a farming family. “It is all I had known for most of my childhood. I had always been interested in farming and felt a connection with plants,” he says. 

While you might find it odd that a youngster wanted to take up farming as a profession, it was all Lobo had ever wanted. “I had wanted to try out new ways of growing plants effectively and profitably. I knew getting into the profession that it is more passion-driven than profit,” he says. 

He continues, “However, my family land was stuck in a conflict and I could not farm on it. We come from humble backgrounds and those lands were our only support. My dream seemed to be out of reach for a moment but I decided to keep going.” 

Lobo, with his knowledge of farming and plants, started consulting and landscaping other people’s farms. 

“I also wanted to make sure that my family eats well. The market is full of chemical-laden food and I could not allow myself to consume it. So, I decided to practise farming on my terrace. It was not very big but enough to follow my dream and make sure my family eats well,” he says. 

Lobo started to look for online resources and YouTube videos to understand how to set up a terrace garden. Currently, he grows 32 jasmine plants in his terrace garden, three of them using the hydroponics method, along with 200 varieties of fruits like mulberry, chikoo, and mangoes. 

Growing the world’s most expensive mango variety 

“I had been growing various varieties of gulf berries on my terrace and was also growing some mangoes as well. When I had successfully grown these, why not try Miyazaki? I knew that it was hard to grow in India,” he explains. 

Not realising the monetary value of the variety, he treated it like any other mango plant. “Back then, I did not give any special attention to the plant. I fed it my original and usual mixture that I give to all my other plants. It took the plant three-and-a-half years to yield. I did not know what its value was, so my family and I consumed it,” he says. 

“It was a news reporter who was doing a story on my terrace farm who recognised the mango’s worth,” he shares.

“It was after that report that I realised that it cost so much. Since then, I have been getting requests to learn how to grow it. However, I do not have much to share except my soil mix,” he says. 

Talking about the variety, Lobo says, “The variety comes from Japan which does not have the right weather conditions to grow mangoes, and the farmers usually use polyhouse techniques to grow them. The mango is known for its various health benefits and distinctive taste,” he says. 

Sharing his ‘magic’ mixture, he says, “I make it at home and it contains nine minerals. It is made using cow dung, sheep manure, homemade curd, and vegetable waste. This mixture has a high nutritional value that helps the plant grow.” 

“In a grow bag, I mix 50 percent of this mixture along with 50 percent soil for the Miyazaki mango,” he shares. 

All the manure that he uses also comes from the cows that he has domesticated in his home. “We feed them healthy organic food to get produce from them too,” he shares. 

He adds, “As for the insects, I am strictly against using any kind of chemical insecticides because they are harmful to the plants. I only use a mixture of neem oil and spray it on the plants.” 

Every 30 days, the Miyazaki Mango is given the mixture to keep it healthy. 

Lobo is planning to use the existing mango plant as a mother plant to make more of them. 

“I do not intend to sell the fruit anymore. It is for my family and friends to consume. However, I have started making mini plants for others to buy and try growing. I have made 25 this year and have already sold 13 out of them,” he says. 

The plants are available to buy for Rs 2,500 if you are a gardening enthusiast like Lobo. You can reach out to him at  96110 12451.

(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All Images Credit: Joseph Lobo)