Zee fact file: Bihar farmer`s claims of `Hop-shoots` crop turns out to be fake, check report

Aurangabad: A news that has recently grabbed headlines about a farmer from Bihar's Aurangabad growing the world's costliest vegetable called the Hop Shoots turned out to be fake.

As per the investigation by ZEE NEWS, no such cultivation has been done. The family members of Amresh Singh, villagers and the district agriculture department have dismissed the claim saying there is no such crop on the fields.

Who is Amresh Singh?

A farmer from Bihar's Aurangabad Amresh Singh was in news for a report claiming that he is growing the world's costliest vegetable Hop Shoots. Since reports debunking the claim went viral, Amresh has gone underground and is avoiding public glare.  

Why it was in news?

The news report stated that Amresh had used five katha of his land and did not use any kind of chemical fertilizers or pesticides to increase the productivity of the crop. He reportedly invested Rs 2.5 lakh to grow this vegetable on his farm and turned out successful. 

However, Nityananda, Senior Scientist, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Aurangabad found that the temperature required for cultivation of Hop Shoots is not consistent with any season in Aurangabad, thus debunking Amaresh's claim.

What is Hop Shoot?

Hop Shoot is a vegetable that is generally found in the international markets costing around Rs 85,000 per Kg. Scientifically known as Humulus Lupulus, the plant is a native of Europe and North America, this vegetable was initially believed to be a weed. However, soon, people's confusion cleared when they got to know about its properties.