Agriculture has a very important place in our economy and is one of the major sources of income for people living in rural areas. India is an agrarian economy with a majority of our population dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. So what are agro-based industries? Such industries make use of raw materials like food grains, fibres, edible oils and other products of agriculture for manufacturing their products. See more. Agriculture is still very much a part of our culture especially in rural areas and we find a lot of references to agriculture in our folklore also
If you are looking for new business ideas in Kerala or any other state, you should check out the following list of some of the most profitable agro-based industries for the Indian market:
1. Online portal for grocery shopping
You can create an eCommerce based online shopping portal for grocery items. The portal will serve as a one-stop solution to the shopping needs of people. People do not find the time to go out and buy groceries because they are busy with their work or studies. So, they prefer ordering groceries online and having them delivered to their doorstep. Hence this business has a good potential
2. Production of organic fertilizer
The secret of producing organic fertilizer at home is the vermicomposting process. The organic material used in the process needs to be converted into vermicompost, a fertile organic material that can be used as manure or fertilizer. The secret lies in how to convert your kitchen waste, garden waste and farm waste into vermicompost. Organic fertilizer can be produced by using locally available, cheap ingredients. Its production is a profitable business for small farmers who want to diversify their farm productions and make additional income from organic fertilizer and vermicompost to support their families.
3. Mushrooms
Mushroom cultivation is not a complicated process. It can be done by anyone who has basic knowledge about the subject. All that is required is some patience and a bit of space in your home for the cultivation process. Mushroom cultivation can be started with as little as Rs 4000-5000 which includes all the equipment that you need for growing mushrooms at home.
4. Tree farming and selling
This option is suitable more for those people who have some knowledge about trees and their planting process as well as maintenance work. Since this is going to be your own business, you are free to manage the whole plantation your way. Once the trees get matured enough, you can cut them and sell these in the market. You can also sell some saplings which can be planted by other people if they want to take up farming as a profession. However, trees require a long time to grow, so the waiting period to see the income from this business is quite high.
