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

When Shivraj Nishad was working as a medical representative for a pharma company in Kanpur, he saw a rapid growth in the health and wellness industry. Instead of popping pills, people increasingly focused on building immunity, and drinking flower teas was one of them.

“My family was into flower cultivation in Shekhpur, Kanpur Dehat, Uttar Pradesh. They cultivated roses, marigolds, chrysanthemums and jasmine. I, however, completed my Master's in Pharmacy (MPharm) from the Kanpur Institute of Technology and Pharmacy and took up a job,” Shivraj tells 30Stades.

He began working as a medical representative in July 2017. “After four years, I realised that the flowers my family grew on a small scale had a much larger demand in the dried form. They just sold it in the local mandi and struggled with waste flowers when the market demand was low and the produce was unsold,” he says.

“The price for fresh marigolds would swing from Rs 10 to Rs 100 per kg, depending on the demand-supply situation. It was unfair to farmers, and I wanted to find a way to help all the growers around me,” he says.

COVID-19 gave Shivraj enough time to think over selling dried flowers instead of medicines, and in February 2021, he registered his company, Iswar Flowers and Herbs. “I knew about flowers, their farming and the marketing problems faced by farmers. I also learned about the growing market for dry flowers,” Shivraj says.

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From medicines to dry flowers

Dry flowers are in high demand by cosmetic and wellness companies. Flower teas are gaining popularity globally for their health benefits, including immunity-boosting, stress relief, and long shelf life. India exports dry flowers to 20 countries, including the UK, USA, Malaysia and Singapore.

Shivraj began by cultivating butterfly pea (aparajita in Hindi) on half an acre of his family's land. “Alongside, I was researching about the pricing of dry flowers, buyers and traders in the field,” he says.

He prepared a sample of dried butterfly pea flowers and sent it to a trader. “He liked the sample and placed an order for 12 kg of flowers. That was the beginning,” Shivraj says.

Shivraj expanded his list and started sending samples to other buyers. “I began receiving many orders and started tying up with floriculture farmers in and around Shekhpur so that they could also earn stable incomes,” he adds.

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Empowering farmers 

Today, Shivraj works with 1,000 flower farmers across Kanpur, Sitapur, Raebareli, and Hamidpur. 

He sells approximately four to five tonnes (4,000 to 5,000 kg) of dried flowers each month, mainly to health and wellness, pharmaceutical, and personal care companies. 

“The prices of dry flowers range from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per kg for marigold and rose to Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 per kg for blue coral flower. Dry jasmine commands Rs 1100 to Rs 1200 per kg. “There are seasonal fluctuations around production, like rains or the festive season, when fresh flowers are in high demand. So the turnover ranges from Rs 25 lakh in some months to Rs 10 lakh in others,” he says.

The annual turnover is around Rs 1.5 crore, Shivraj says.

“I source fresh flowers from local farmers and dry them at my unit. Other growers dry them in their farms and transport them to me,” he says. This provides a consistent income to farmers, irrespective of weather or market conditions. 

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“The empowerment of flower growers has been my biggest achievement. The farmers are no more at the mercy of the market,” he says.

Due to Shivraj’s efforts, Shekhpur is now known as the hub of the dry flower business in Uttar Pradesh.

To keep costs low, Shivraj customised a solar dryer and installed it on his rooftop. “It cost me Rs 60,000. However, if you directly approach a supplier, you will get it for Rs 3 lakh. It is best to fabricate your system as per the requirements. Solar drying cuts time,” he says.

In 2023, he customised another solar dryer for Rs 1.25 lakh. “The new dryer has a capacity to dry 700 kg of flowers daily,” the agripreneur explains.

Alongside, Shivraj has also built his flower tea brand, Blueveda. It offers flower teas of rose, hibiscus, chamomile, butterfly pea and jasmine. “I now plan to foray into the vegetable and fruit drying business. Agri-drying has a good potential in a country that sees weather fluctuations regularly,” he adds.

(US Anu is a Madurai-based writer. She specialises in stories around human interest, environment and art and culture.)

Also Read: How this Punjab farmer became a flower millionaire

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