Fresh Dates and Rs 1,000 Investment

Dear Reader,

Often, the toughest times leave us with the best life lessons. It is up to us to learn, grow, and move ahead. After all, that’s what we did in school and university also. We learned, grew and moved ahead. 

Annapurna Kalluri also learned a life lesson the hard way. When she received her first order to make 450 jute bags for a company, she left it to her colleague, who kept telling her that the work was progressing as per schedule. Annapurna, at that time, was focusing on her millet business.

Three days before the dispatch date, she learned the work was unfinished, the colleague had left, and the rural women whom she was working with had no clue about completing the printing and stitching of bags.

Annapurna told my colleague Anu that she spent the next three days running from tailors to printers in different towns and somehow got the work completed. Those three days also taught her the A to Z of eco-friendly bag-making. Today, Annapura’s annual turnover is Rs1 crore, and she has created other women entrepreneurs in the journey.

Last week, I spoke to Jagdish Shendge, a farmer from Maharashtra's Jalna district. In 2017, he thought date trees were some ornamental plants. Today, he earns Rs8 lakh per acre by growing organic dates in the drought-prone region. He sells the fresh dates, the yellow variety, at Rs200 per kg and says the only inputs required are water and cow dung manure. Labour costs = zero. How? Read up on his story.

My colleague Riya has put together a piece on five mushroom growers who started with an investment of Rs1000 or less (one invested Rs36) and now clock monthly turnover in lakhs. With a rising demand for mushrooms due to their taste and health benefits, this is an indoor farming business that will continue to make money in the foreseeable future.

Our Sunday feature is on Gooty or Gutti Fort, which houses 15 forts and 108 ponds! The over 1000-year-old structure also has a gymnasium, rainwater harvesting system, temples and more.

Happy Reading!

Warmly,
Rashmi