How this Maharashtra engineer earns Rs 15 lakh monthly from gerbera farming

 After completing his B.Tech in mechanical engineering from Nagpur University in 2016, Ankit Lande took up a job in an auto company. The monotony of a 9-to-5 job was not his cup of tea, and he decided to pursue something else.

The same year, his family purchased five acres of land in Katol in the Nagpur district of Maharashtra. He did not intend to start farming and was looking to set up a business.

“However, I saw a polyhouse, which was shut down, adjacent to our land. Curious, I went inside and saw that some flowers were still growing there. That led me to explore more,” he tells 30Stades.

Back home, he began researching polyhouse farming, which interested him even though his family was not into agriculture. “I took a week-long training in floriculture (commercial flower farming) at the Horticulture Training Centre (HTC) in Talegaon, Pune,” Ankit says.

High profitability in flower farming

The Indian floriculture market reached Rs 29,200 crore in 2024, according to research firm IMARC Group. The market will reach Rs 74,400 crore by 2033, growing at a 10.9 percent CAGR during 2025-2033. A strong domestic and international demand for flowers in events, decor, and processed products like floral teas and cosmetics from dry flowers is driving this growth.

Also Read: Kanpur farmer builds flower-drying business; annual turnover at Rs 1.5 crore

Ankit decided to grow gerbera in a polyhouse on only half an acre to begin with. 

Globally, gerbera is one of the world's most important cut flowers, ranking sixth among the top ten. Its demand is high in India due to vibrant colours and long vase life, making it popular for events, arrangements, and bouquets. 

In 2017, he set up the polyhouse structure with drip irrigation. The government provides a 50 percent subsidy for polyhouse farming. The investment is around Rs 20 to Rs 25 lakh for an acre after subsidy from the state government and the National Horticulture Board (NHB). 

“One can grow gerbera throughout the year in the heat of Nagpur only due to the polyhouse. The controlled environment improves flower growth, yield and quality. It also protects flowers from adverse weather conditions,” says the agripreneur. 

Gerbera can be cultivated in every season in a polyhouse, ensuring a consistent income. "The profit margins are high at around 60 percent,” he says.

The plants are protected from high radiation of sunlight and changes like heavy rain, moisture, and cold, leading to excellent growth.

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The beginning, expansion and growth

From half an acre in 2017, Ankit expanded to two acres in 2021 and now cultivates gerbera over four acres. 

“In one acre, I have 25,000 plants. While the normal gerbera plant life is three to four years, my plants are yielding flowers even after eight years,” he says.

Ankit regularly uses fertilisers, drip irrigation and manures. “Daily, I harvest around 3,000 flowers from one acre and over 12,000 total from four acres. At the average price of Rs 4 per flower, I earn around Rs 50,000 daily, though the number goes up when the rate increases,” he says. 

After deducting Rs20,000 for daily expenses on labour, fertilisers, polyhouse maintenance and manure, etc, the profit is Rs30,000,” he adds. Currently, Ankit is selling gerbera at Rs 8 per flower.

From four acres, his monthly turnover is Rs 15 lakh, and profit is Rs 10 lakh. “In the Vidarbha region, the main market is Nagpur, and I sell the flowers there. The maximum rate I have received is Rs 12 per flower during the peak marriage season pre-COVID. The minimum goes down to Rs 3 at times. An ideal annual average would be Rs 4 per flower,” he says. 

Also Read: How this MBA farmer clocks Rs 36 lakh per acre from gerbera farming

“Marketing is not a worry because we sell directly in the Nagpur mandi and also transport by train to Delhi and Hyderabad,” he says.

To start with, Ankit purchased 21-day-old gerbera saplings, prepared using tissue culture, from a nursery and transferred them onto the prepared beds. “I bought around 12,500 saplings at Rs. 36 each. The rate now is Rs 38. Gerbera started flowering in one month, but I harvested for the first time after two months to get good quality flowers,” he says.

He grows pink, white, red, yellow and orange coloured gerberas. Farmers increasingly use cocopeat for cultivation in polyhouses for its high water retention properties. “But here, my medium is red soil as it requires lower amounts of fertilisers and other inputs,” says Ankit.

He prepared raised beds to ensure good drainage and prevent root and stem rot, which are major threats from fungal diseases. “The beds also improve soil aeration, allowing better root penetration and growth, and organic matter can be added easily,” he says.

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

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