Nashik grape farmer starts solar dehydration unit; total turnover hits Rs 75 lakh

When Ganesh Kadam graduated in hotel management in 2004 in Nashik, Maharashtra, he thought of starting a hospitality business. However, his father made it clear that opening a hotel would mean selling farmland in Mohadi, and the family was unwilling to do it.

“So, instead of leaving behind agriculture, I decided to invest my education and entrepreneurial mindset into farming,” Ganesh tells 30Stades.

At that time, his father was working with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the family’s two-acre land was lying vacant. “In 2005-06, I developed the two acres for grape cultivation, planting around 2,000 saplings sourced from a nursery. Grapevines can remain productive for 12 to 15 years if managed well,” he points out.

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Profitable grape farming

Ganesh adopted residue-free cultivation, which implies the use of pesticides and fungicides at levels that do not cause harm to humans. It fetched good prices, and the net profit touched Rs 1.5 lakh after the first harvest, encouraging him to expand.

He increased farmland from two to four acres using a bank loan and later began reinvesting farm income for expansion. Today, Ganesh cultivates grapes on 14 acres, of which 11 acres are his own land, while the rest is leased.

“I grow green, black and red grapes of Thompson Seedless, Crimson, Cherry Crunch and ARRA-36 varieties. I export two-thirds of my grapes (over 800 quintals),” he says. Indian table grapes are exported to Europe, Canada, China, the Middle East and other countries.

His successful farming strategy is a mix of technology, innovation, hard work and dedication. 

Also Read: Maharashtra woman builds vegetable-drying business; clocks Rs3 lakh monthly turnover

Setting up a solar dehydration unit

However, this success strategy was tested severely during the 2019 drought and later during COVID-19, when markets collapsed, and logistics became a problem. “I faced pressure from loans and rising input costs. Instead of scaling back, I decided to diversify,” he says.

Ganesh believes that farmers should not depend on one or two crop harvests a year. “A farmer should have a stable income every month,” he says.

“Agriculture must offer sustainability. This thought pushed me towards value addition,” Ganehs adds.

In 2022, he put up a small solar dehydration unit, which cost him Rs 1.5 lakh. “Solar dehydration is a good way to manage surplus produce, reduce losses, and create an additional income stream. It is an excellent way for farmers to reduce dependence on the market and cut losses,” he says.

“Grapes lose value during grading and sorting, with damaged or undersized berries, which fall from the bunch, selling at Rs 10-15 per kg in the market. By dehydrating them into raisins, I sell the same produce at around Rs 200 per kg,” he says.

About 5kg of fresh grapes yield a kg of raisins. Drying grapes in direct sunlight takes 22 to 35 days, and a sulphur dioxide treatment is applied to preserve colour and quality.

“But it takes only 10-15 days to dry the grapes into raisins in a solar dehydrator. There is no risk of contamination or adulteration. Everything is natural,” Ganesh explains.

In 2023, he invested Rs 12 lakh to set up a two-metric-tonne capacity dehydration unit. “Small farmers can form groups or collectives and start with an investment of just Rs 1.5 lakh,” he says.

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

Besides grapes, the unit now dehydrates ginger, tomatoes, mint, and coriander procured from other farmers. “I procure crops other than grapes from farmers during periods of glut when the market rates are the lowest. It helps them realise better prices,” he says.

Currently, the unit processes crops to yield an average of 400 kg of dehydrated produce per month from December to May (2,400 kg annually). With an average selling price of Rs 200 per kg, the dehydration unit generates about Rs 5 lakh in annual revenue. 

“I plan to scale the dehydration business to 1,500 kg per month in 2026, increasing revenues almost four times,” he says.

The global dehydrated vegetables market was valued at 72.7 billion dollars in 2022 and is expected to reach 159.6 billion dollars by 2033, a report by research firm Future Market Insights says.

Entrepreneurs typically report a 25 to 40 percent margin in vegetable dehydration, especially for high-value crops, like mushrooms, turmeric, jackfruit, and herbs. The low operational costs of solar or hybrid dryers make the model viable even at a small scale.

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Grapes remain the backbone of Ganesh’s enterprise, contributing nearly 60 per cent of the total turnover. He produces around 1,200 tonnes, exporting about 800 tonnes and selling the remaining 400 tonnes in the domestic market.

His combined agribusiness, including the sales of fresh and dehydrated grapes and dehydrated vegetables, generated a turnover of Rs 75 lakh last fiscal.

Training in innovation and dehydration

Ganesh is passionate about sharing knowledge to help farmers become entrepreneurs. Recognising the lack of exposure to technology, grading, sorting and marketing, he holds free training programmes.

So far, he has trained 126 women farmers in solar drying and value addition, and has conducted one-day training sessions for around 600 participants.

Kadam sells his products through women-led collectives and bulk traders. “Farming alone is not enough. Farmers must think like entrepreneurs. With the right mix of technology, value addition and market linkages, agriculture can provide stable, dignified and sustainable livelihoods,” he says.

“The future of farming lies not just in the field, but also in innovation beyond the harvest,” Ganesh adds.

(Riya Singh is a Ranchi-based journalist who writes on environment, farming, sustainability, startups, & women empowerment)

Also Read: Five farmers who found profit in dehydrating vegetables and flowers

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