Karnataka farmer replaces sugarcane with drumsticks; turnover at Rs 6 lakh per acre

When Prakash Udagati completed his diploma in agriculture and joined his father in farming, the family was cultivating sugarcane, tobacco and betel leaves (paan) in Karnataka’s Belagavi (earlier Belgaum) district.

After working for two years on the farm, he realised that sugarcane farming was not profitable despite high yields. This was due to low market rates and high costs. The fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane in Karnataka is now Rs 3,300 per tonne or just Rs 3.30 per kg, making it an unviable crop.

“Sugarcane farming was not profitable due to high irrigation costs and erratic monsoons. The income from an acre was just about Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. I decided to replace it with moringa (Moringa oleifera), which yields drumsticks,” Prakash tells 30Stades.

Drumsticks are the long, slender pods of the moringa plant used in sambhar, curries and other dishes. The leaves are dried and powdered. Both leaves and drumsticks have high nutritional content and medicinal properties.

Also Read: Moringa: The 'green gold' turning even drought-prone farms profitable 

Why drumstick farming is profitable

“I chose to grow moringa only for drumsticks as its demand is rising and it gets good market rates due to its nutritional benefits,” Prakash says. Drumsticks are packed with vitamins A, C, and essential minerals like calcium and potassium. 

India is the world's largest producer of drumsticks, meeting 80 percent of the global demand. Drumstick exports have increased in recent years, particularly to countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to data from Volza. 

In November and December 2024, drumstick prices shot up to Rs500 a kg due to high demand and low supply. 

“The soil quality in our area is poor. The plant’s resilience to drought and low maintenance requirements made me opt for it,” Pakash says. 

Moringa trees are well-adapted to dry, arid, and marginal land conditions and require minimal water, unlike sugarcane. The plant grows well without chemicals and is relatively resistant to most pests and diseases, significantly reducing expenses.

Also Read: This moringa farmer clocks Rs10 lakh per acre in drought-prone Solapur 

Replacing sugarcane with drumsticks 

Prakash removed sugarcane plants from four acres of his land in one go as he was sure of profits from drumsticks. “I strengthened the soil fertility by adding cow dung manure. I kept a line-to-line gap of 7 feet and a plant-to-plant gap of 3 feet,” he says.

Being a low-cost crop, the initial investment in drumstick farming is only Rs 15,000 per acre. One acre requires half a kg of seeds, which can be directly put in the soil. 

“In January 2023, I sowed seeds of the ODC-3 variety, which cost me Rs 8000 per kg. An acre requires half a kg of seeds worth Rs 4000,” he says. The plant starts flowering in three to four months, and the first harvest is ready in six months of sowing. The first crop was ready for harvest by the end of June. 

“Being the first crop, the yield was only 6 tonnes from four acres, but the market rate was very high at that time. I received Rs 6 lakh from the first crop and made a profit in just seven months,” he says.

Now, his annual yield is between 15 and 20 tonnes per acre annually. Drumstick harvesting starts in December and continues till Jun. 

“Last year, the yield was 60 tonnes from four acres and I sold it at Rs 40 to Rs 45 per kg, earning Rs 26 lakh (Rs 6.5 lakh per acre),” he says.

Prakash sells the produce directly in the Belagavi wholesale market, about 85 km from his village. “I sell about 700 to 800 kg per day during the harvest season."

Now, some people have started coming to the farm for direct purchase, he says.

How drumstick farming is done

Prakash says drumstick seeds can be sown at any time of the year. However, the best time to plant them is between October and February. “An acre can typically have around 500 to 800 moringa plants depending on the gap,” he says.

Prakash uses drip irrigation to minimise water waste and avoid over-watering moringa plants. “Too much water can destroy the roots. Drumsticks don’t need much water; so drip works the best,” he says. 

“Drip is a one-time investment but is good for moringa. I spent around R 1.5 lakh per acre for putting up drips,” he points out.

To strengthen soil fertility, Prakash adds 10 trolleys of cow dung manure per acre annually. That means 40 trolleys for four acres. “There is also the cost of labour and transportation, which add up to Rs1.5 lakh per acre, leaving a profit of around Rs5 lakh per acre,” he adds.

“Yet, it is more than ten times what we were earning from sugarcane. It is time for farmers to think beyond traditional crops and try some new crops to earn better,” Prakash says.

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

Also Read: Five moringa entrepreneurs who made it big from small villages 

Look up our YouTube Channel