Sukhwinder Pal Singh (50), a farmer from the remote village of Kal Sohar in Gurdaspur district, stopped visiting agricultural produce shops in 2021 after being harassed by middlemen and not getting a fair price for his produce for years. Now, he stores and processes raw materials at his own place and sells them himself throughout the year.
Pal, who comes from a farming family, took up the job about 30 years ago when he was still a teenager.
“Over the years, I realised I was not happy with the current system of agricultural practices as it was not providing the desired family income. Earlier, I used to visit the mandi (grain market) a few times a year, which meant dealing with seasonal market fluctuations and middlemen. I realised the inefficiencies of selling raw grains in the market. Not only was it financially challenging, but it was also limiting in terms of earning a regular income. In order to become a direct seller and earn a regular income, I turned entrepreneur and started processing my own produce,” he says.
“Driven by the support of my family and a vision for innovation, I started a small processing unit on my farm. ICICI Foundation provided me with a ‘wooden kohl’ (oil extractor) free of charge as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. I started processing the mustard seeds I grew in my field,” he said, adding that out of his total 15 acres of land, he cultivates mustard on four acres and produces around 24 quintals of mustard seeds.
He extracts about six quintals of oil from it (about 25 per cent of the total processed mustard seeds). “I sell this oil under the brand name ‘Sehaj Natural Products’ for Rs 350 a litre as I practice organic farming and the price of organic products is higher than inorganic products,” he says, adding that a wooden oil press can extract only one quintal of oil in 10 hours, giving you only 25 per cent of the oil from one quintal of mustard seeds. He says the slow processing speed is important as it ensures that all the nutritional content remains intact in the final product.
He has since expanded his business by sourcing organic products from other organic producers and processing sesame, arsi (flax seeds) and coconut oil. He has also set up a small flour mill to produce multigrain flour and sells organic basmati rice grown in his own fields.
His dedication and hard work has paid off in the quality of his products, with them being certified by Punjab Agro and approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). “These certifications validate our efforts and assure our customers of the highest standards,” says Sukhwinder, adding, “My decision to process and sell under my own brand was about taking control of my livelihood and offering consumers a superior product that they could trust.”
By cutting out the middleman, Sukhwinder not only ensures fair prices for consumers, but also maximises his own profits. “Selling directly protects me from the uncertainty of market prices and the commission that middlemen take,” he adds, reflecting on how this approach keeps his income stable throughout the year.
Sukhwinder added that he wanted to create products that reflected purity and freshness. “These days, with the heavy use of pesticides and insecticides, we are serving toxic food to consumers,” he said. “As raw produce can only be sold two-three times a year in the grain market, I also wanted a regular income as I am unemployed for more than five-six months every year. It was not economically efficient either, but my processing unit and direct sales to consumers keep me employed throughout the year,” he said, adding that selling and marketing himself keeps him away from middlemen who take away a large part of farmers’ income.
“The income I was earning earlier was much lower than what I am earning now; it’s almost double what I was earning earlier. Most importantly, I am now providing employment to more than 12 people who help me with packing and delivery. I started advertising my products on WhatsApp and other social media platforms and to my surprise, people from neighbouring villages started showing interest. They appreciated the quality and peace of mind they get by buying directly from us,” he says. Word spread quickly, and
Pal’s processing experiment transformed into a small-scale processing unit and he began to gain a few regular customers.
In future, he envisions producing more organic products on his 15 acres of land and currently grows organic basmati, mustard, wheat, padi, turmeric and other oil seeds. “Sukhwinder Pal’s journey from farmer to entrepreneur was not a smooth one but he was determined and today the results are before everyone’s eyes. He has proven that with determination and a bit of creativity, you can turn every seed you sow into a success story. Instead of whining like a distressed farmer, it is important to strengthen the local economy, get self-employed and have a regular income,” says Amrik Singh, Faridkot Head Agriculture Officer, who was previously posted in Gurdaspur.
© Indian Express Ltd.
First uploaded: June 30, 2024 9:46 AM
