Studied in London, trained in Israel: How a Bhopal farmer turned barren land into a Rs 1 crore avocado business

There has been a significant rise in the avocado business in India. While previously, this exotic fruit was considered a luxury reserved for the affluent, it’s now become a staple in Indian households and restaurants. With this ongoing demand, Indian-grown avocados are improving, and much of the credit goes to entrepreneurs. One of them is Harshit Godha from Bhopal. This young UK graduate worked with Israeli farmers and imparted his knowledge to farmers in India, turning 5 acres of barren land into a thriving Rs 1 crore avocado business. His Bhopal-based venture, Indo Israel Avocado Nursery, has become a hub for sapling distribution and agro-consulting.

Bhopal man worked with Israeli farmers to grow avocado in India

Harshit, who belongs to a family of lawyers in Bhopal, pursued a Bachelor of Arts (BBA) from the University of Bath, London, in 2013, as per his LinkedIn profile. In 2017, he spotted a bunch of avocados labeled ‘sourced from Israel’ in one of the UK supermarkets. Despite being only 22, Harshit decided to grow the fruit in India since both India and Israel have dry climates.

As per The Better India, Harshit flew to Israel on a tourist visa, worked in the kibbutz fields of Maagan, and learned how to grow avocados by spending weeks with Israeli farmers, understanding the techniques of grafting, irrigation, pruning, and soil health. After returning to India in 2019, Harshit took 5 acres of family-owned barren land on the outskirts of Bhopal and began transforming it.

Avocado business profit

The young farmer invested Rs 50 lakhs in soil development, water-efficient drip systems, greenhouses, and setting up a nursery. Slowly, his efforts began to bear fruit. In 2021, Harshit received his first batch of 1,800 Israeli avocado saplings. He planted 5 varieties — Hass, Pinkerton, Ettinger, and Lamb-Hass — in raised beds enriched with compost and organic inputs.

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Over the years, Harshit has supplied plants to farmers across India, including Assam, Gujarat and Sikkim. At present, he manages over 20,000 avocado plants, trains farmers, and works with luxury hotels, boutique stores, and chefs looking for locally grown, high-quality fruit. His company, Indo Israel Avocado, launched in 2021, clocked more than Rs 1 crore in revenue by 2023.