How this couple clocks Rs8 lakh per acre from organic moringa farming

Pardeep Mann grew up seeing his family cultivating fruits in the Mehmudpur village of Sonipat in Haryana. However, farming did not interest him, and he never worked in the fields. Things changed during the Coronavirus lockdown when there was nothing else to do but spend time on the farm.

“My wife (Kiran Mann) encouraged me to take up farming to utilize my time. I researched how I could work differently and learned about organic farming. First, sandalwood cultivation interested me, but the long gestation period was a big deterrent. Then the idea of a food forest appealed to me,” Pardeep tells 30Stades.

However, an ad on his social media feed changed his perspective. “A company was selling moringa powder at high rates. We began researching the demand and supply of moringa and found a huge gap. So Kiran and I decided to start organic moringa farming,” he says.

Moringa oleifera plant yields drumsticks - the long, slender pods that resemble the drumsticks used in percussion instruments. Its leaves and drumsticks are valued for their nutritional content and medicinal properties including blood sugar control, boosting immunity, and fighting anaemia, arthritis and other disorders.

Why moringa farming is hugely profitable

The global moringa market was valued at 9.5 billion dollars in 2022, as per Zion Market Research. India dominates the market and meets more than 80 percent of the global demand. 

Moringa leaves need to be dried immediately upon harvesting, and the cost of transporting loose dried leaves is high. So making moringa powder from dried leaves is an excellent income opportunity for farmers, Pardeep shares.

Kiran says moringa is one of the best crops to grow as it does not need much water or maintenance.

“Our only inputs are water mixed with jeevamrit and waste decomposer,” she says. Waste decomposer is a biofertilizer and biocontrol agent made by decomposing desi cow dung and organic waste.

“We don’t add anything else as moringa is hardy and naturally pest-resistant. The annual operating cost of the farm is only 10-12 percent of the income,” Kiran points out. 

So if an acre yields Rs8 lakh, then annual expenses are only around Rs80,000 to Rs 1 lakh, resulting in a profit of Rs7 lakh per acre.

Moringa trees can grow up to 10 to 12 feet in five months without trimming. However, for leaves, they are regularly trimmed and harvesting is done thrice a year.

Also Read: Scientist turns moringa farmer; exports products to the US, Europe

Making organic moringa powder 

In 2021, the couple bought 1.5 kg of moringa seeds of Valaypatti variety from a nursery in Tamil Nadu. “We prepared the land by ploughing and adding cow dung to it. We made medh (bunds) on land and sowed the seeds on them over just half an acre,” says Kiran, who looks after harvesting and processing of leaves.

Also Read: Scientist quits job to make organic moringa products; annual turnover at Rs 1.75 crore

The couple planted the seeds in April-May 2021. The first harvest was ready in July. “From half an acre, we harvested about 1,000 kg of leaves that resulted in 100 kg of moringa powder,” says Pardeep.

“For moringa powder, I invested Rs1.25 lakh in a drying machine with 20 trays and Rs20,000 on a pulverizer (to grind the leaves). This is a one-time investment,” he adds. Moringa leaves are harvested and dried in a drying machine as exposure to the sun reduces their nutritional and medicinal properties. 

The couple’s income was over Rs2 lakh from moringa powder after the first harvest. “The demand was so high that the product was out of stock in no time,” says Pradeep, who also provides consultancy for moringa farming.

With good results from the first crop, they expanded and now grow moringa over three acres. “Annually, one acre yields 500 kg of dry leaves (spread over three harvests). This results in 500 kg of powder, which we sell under our brand Sadhguru Organic Farm. The rate varies from Rs 2500 per kg for retail to Rs1000 per kg for bulk orders,” he says.

“On average, the income is Rs8 lakh per acre, with annual operating costs of Rs1 lakh per acre, resulting in Rs7 lakh profit. From three acres, the turnover is Rs 24 lakh,” Pardeep adds.

“Organic moringa farming to make powder is a very profitable proposition. There is a one-time investment that yields profit for a long time,” he says. The Valaypatti tree has a long life span of over 30 years. “We will start making moringa tablets now and expand to the export market as the demand is high,” he says.

(Rashmi Pratap is a Mumbai- based journalist specialising in financial, business and socio-economic reporting)

Also Read: Couple leaves city life for organic moringa farming; clocks turnover of Rs10 lakh per acre