MBA quits MNC job for sugarcane farming; earns Rs4 lakh per acre

After completing his MBA in sales and marketing from the New Delhi Institute of Management in 2010, Vijay Kumar Singh worked with some of India’s top companies, including Bharti Airtel and Usha International. 

Sometime in 2015, Vijay attended an ‘organic bazaar’ near India Gate, where farmers from across north India participated with their chemical-free fresh and processed produce. “I was impressed by their work and suggested that my father and grandfather shift to chemical-free farming on our farm in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh,” Vijay tells 30Stades. 

Also Read: How this Maharashtra engineer-farmer earns Rs 3.6 lakh per acre with sugarcane farming
 
By 2019, frequent work-related travel and stress had taken a toll on Vijay, and he quit his job to take up natural farming at home. 

“I thought the best way to live healthily was to grow and eat natural food. I resigned from Usha International in May 2019 and started natural farming of sugarcane in my village,” he says. 

Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh is a major region for sugarcane production.

Sugarcane farming with a difference

“I planted sugarcane of Co 0238 variety, known for its high sugar content and early maturity, on two acres. However, production in the first year was low at 300 quintals because we had not worked well on improving soil fertility before plantation. Moreover, the variety is prone to pest attacks,” he says.

Also Read: Karnataka's MBA farmer turns barren land into a profitable natural farm; earns Rs40 lakh a year 

“We made jaggery using 150 quintals of sugarcane and earned Rs2 lakh and sold the remaining half for around Rs70,000,” Vijay recollects.

To improve the soil, Vijay began preparing jeevamrit (a liquid organic fertiliser), ghanjeevamrit (solid organic fertiliser), and cow dung manure on the farm. These organic fertilisers enhance soil structure, increase water retention, and boost microbial activity. 

Typically, sugarcane planted in February yields the first harvest in February of the next year and another harvest in October of that year. “With time, I began replacing old plants with newer sugarcane varieties CoS 8272 and CoPk 5191 and changed the plantation technique,” he says. 

Vijay now uses the sugarcane ring pit method of cultivation. This cost-effective technique involves digging pits, filling them with organic manure and soil, and planting sugarcane setts (stalks with two to three buds) in a circular pattern. 

“In this practice, we keep a row-to-row gap of 5 feet and a pit-to-pit space of 2 feet. In one pit, 25 to 30 sugarcane plants grow. Since the distance is greater, there is better ventilation, sunlight and air circulation. This addresses the pest issue, and the new varieties require less fertilisation,” Vijay explains.

This method also increases yield and nutrient efficiency compared to traditional row planting, as it helps localised fertiliser application and leads to robust mother shoots instead of tillers.

He intercrops sugarcane with mustard, increasing land use and income. Mustard also enhances soil fertility and nutrient availability for sugarcane. 

Vijay now harvests around 600 quintals of sugarcane from 2 acres. Most of these plants are three years old and continue to yield sugarcane, whereas the plant typically gives only two harvests.  

Also Read: Five steps to grow microgreens indoors at low costs

Processing sugarcane for high returns

“Instead of selling the cane, I make jaggery (plain) and in flavours like cardamom, dry fruit, etc., earning Rs 8 lakh. “The profit is Rs 6 lakh (Rs 3 lakh per acre),” he adds.

"Value addition to sugarcane by processing it into products like jaggery, sugar and other by-products increases revenues and makes sugarcane farming viable," Vijay explains.

Last year, Vijay also began making laddus of methi, ragi and multigrain, as well as other products using organic jaggery.  

“I sell the products locally and in Delhi and West Bengal. The pricing starts at Rs150 per kg for natural jaggery and goes up to Rs450 per kg depending on the flavour,” the agripreneur says.

Next month, Vijay will start a retail outlet in Baghpat to sell sugarcane-based and other natural products. “We have added a few farmers practising natural farming. We will buy their produce and process it because it is difficult to market the products individually,” he adds.

Multi-cropping on an acre

On another acre, Vijay has also created a natural multi-cropping system, which is still in its early days. He has planted karonda, a thorny, evergreen shrub that gives edible berries, along the boundary. “It is bio-fencing as karonda is a deterrent for animals due to its thorns. Then we have guava in less than half an acre,” he says.

Vijay has planted 200 moringa plants and intercrops them with turmeric. “The plants are small right now, but we hope to get into production and processing by next year,” he says.

For farmers with just an acre of land, Vijay suggests starting multi-cropping on 500 sq m to get an idea of natural farming. “Once it works, they can expand it to one acre and target selling products to 25-30 families. This way, even a small farmer can earn Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 monthly,” he adds.

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

Also Read: How crop rotation can increase farmers' incomes
 
Look up our YouTube Channel