Farming

Lucknow-based Aishwarya Bhatnagar and Prateek Rastogi run Greenday to promote innovative farming methods and biofortified seeds that benefit both farmers and consumers alike.

Over the past 30 years, Phuman Singh Kaurra from Punjab has been turning his family's fortunes around through carrot farming. He also has a seed bank that can cultivate up to 650 acres of land.

After retirement, Remabhai S (58) from Kollam, Kerala, found solace in cultivating dragon fruits on her terrace using innovative soilless methods. Now, she harvests 500 kg of dragon fruit every month, earning Rs 1 lakh.

Recognising the inefficiencies and exploitative nature of the middlemen setup, R Ranjit Kumar and 120 farmers from Tamil Nadu decided to take matters into their own hands. They now export their produce to Australia, Canada, and France.

Calvin Aranha and Farish Anfal, from Udupi in Karnataka, started Krop AI. The hydroponics startup integrates technology and automation to enhance crop quality and production.

In drought-prone Satara, Maharashtra, farmer Hrushikesh Jayasing Dhane turned adversity into success by making aloe vera products like soaps, shampoos, and juices, building a multi-crore business.

Aprajita Bansal runs Phal Phool, a startup that sells apples and other products grown on her family orchard in Banon, Himachal Pradesh. By reducing dependency on middlemen, she has ensured that her father earns three times the profit for the produce sold online, while customers get farm fresh apples.

Bachittar Singh Garcha of Deh Kalan village, Punjab, turned to soybean cultivation and processing after incurring huge losses in potato farming. He now runs an automatic plant to process soybean into milk and tofu, clocking in an annual sale of up to Rs 48 lakh.

Catering up to 100 orders daily, Parvathy Mohanan turned her gardening hobby into a portulaca flowers business. She shares how she became a commercial gardener by chance.

Narayana Rai, a visionary farmer, began cultivating ‘kokum’ to conserve it as plantations started declining. His flourishing estate, now managed by his son Ramesh Rai, boasts over 10,000 kokum trees. The family has also distributed over two lakh saplings to other farmers.