Home farming business:

The Microgreens Business:

A modern, profitable, and eco-friendly agri-business you can start even from home.

What are Microgreens?

Microgreens are young, edible greens harvested within 7–21 days of germination, right after the first true leaves emerge. They are nutrient-rich, flavor-dense, and used in gourmet dishes, health drinks, and wellness products.

Importance of Microgreens

• Nutritional Powerhouses: Contain up to 40x more nutrients than their mature counterparts (e.g., broccoli, kale).
• Health Benefits: High in vitamins (A, C, K), antioxidants, and minerals.
• Eco-friendly: Grown with minimal water, space, and no pesticides.
• Quick Yield: Harvest in just 1–3 weeks, ideal for fast ROI.
• Urban Friendly: Can be grown indoors, on rooftops, in balconies, or vertical farms.

What is Microgreens Business?

• It involves growing, harvesting, packaging, and selling microgreens to:
• Health-conscious consumers.
• Restaurants & hotels.
• Juice bars.
• Organic stores.
• Online customers.

Market & Demand

• Growing demand in urban areas due to health trends and wellness diets.
• Chefs and restaurants for garnishing and plating
• Health-conscious individuals and fitness communities
• Smoothie/juice bars and nutritionists
• Export potential to USA, UK, UAE, Singapore, etc.
• Strong demand in metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, etc.

Scope of Microgreens Business

• Home-based business: Start in trays, indoors with minimal investment.
• Commercial farming: Vertical farming, polyhouse, rooftop setups.
• Branding opportunity: Sell under your own healthy lifestyle brand.
• Subscription model: Weekly delivery to homes, cafes, gyms.
• Workshops/consulting: Teach others how to grow them.

Business Potential

Price of microgreens: ₹300 – ₹2000 per kg depending on type and packaging.

Infrastructure Required:

• Basic Setup:
• Growing trays or racks
• Coco peat or organic growing medium
• Good quality seeds (non-GMO, organic)
• Water spray bottles or misting system
• Grow lights (for indoor setup)
• Drying and packaging area
• Shelves or vertical units (for large-scale)

Investment Required:

Can start small with ₹15,000 – ₹30,000.

Income Potential:

• Per tray yield: 100–150 grams.
• 100 trays/month: 10–15 kg = ₹30,000 – ₹60,000 income.
• 500 trays/month: ₹1.5 – ₹3 lakhs+.

Selling price varies by type:

• Broccoli, radish, pea shoots, sunflower: ₹300 – ₹1000/kg
• Basil, kale, arugula, wheatgrass: ₹800 – ₹2000/kg

Legal & License Requirements:

• FSSAI License – Mandatory if you’re selling edible greens.
• GST Registration – If your turnover crosses ₹20 lakhs/year.
• Udyam/MSME Registration – For subsidies and startup benefits.
• Trade License – From local authority (for physical shop).
• Brand Trademark (optional) – If you create your own brand.

How to Sell Microgreens:

• Create an Instagram page to showcase your trays, packaging, recipes.
• Sell on local WhatsApp groups, gym centers, yoga studios, cafes.
• List on Amazon, BigBasket, UrbanKisaan, or build your own Shopify store.
• Offer subscriptions: “Fresh microgreens weekly” model.

Saffron Farming Business:

An extremely high-value, low-volume agricultural business with great income potential:

What is Saffron Farming?

• Saffron is a spice derived from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower. It is one of the most expensive crops in the world due to the delicate process of harvesting and limited growing regions.
• 1 gram of saffron requires around 150-170 flowers
• Known for its aroma, color, medicinal and culinary uses

Uses of Saffron:

• Food Industry: In sweets, biryani, saffron milk, tea, bakery.
• Ayurveda & Medicine: For skin health, immunity, fertility, mood enhancement.
• Cosmetics: Anti-aging creams, luxury skincare products.
• Religious rituals: In Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist practices.
• Export: Huge demand in UAE, USA, Europe, China, Japan.

Scope of Business:

• High-income crop: Small land, big returns.
• Growing demand for pure saffron globally.
• Export-oriented: India imports a lot of saffron; growing locally can reduce this gap.
• Organic farming opportunities.
• Can be combined with agri-tourism or online saffron brand.

Market Potential:

• India: Major demand from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kerala, Tamil Nadu.
• Global: UAE, Saudi Arabia, USA, Germany, France, and more.
• Price: ₹150–₹250 per gram (even ₹500+ for high-grade saffron).

Selling Options:

• Direct to consumers
• Ayurvedic companies
• Hotels/restaurants
• Online (Amazon, Flipkart, your website)
• Exporters and spice traders
• Business Potential
• Profit margin: 50–70% if marketed directly.
• Great for landowners, farmers, women entrepreneurs, agri-startups.

Infrastructure Required:

• Land: Well-drained, loamy soil; hilly regions preferred (J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, NE India).
• Climate: Cool, dry summers & cold winters (ideal temperature: 15–20°C).
• Irrigation: Light drip irrigation; avoid overwatering.
• Storage: Cool, dark place for drying and storing saffron.
• Tools: Basic tools for weeding, harvesting, drying trays.

Investment Required:

• Knowledge Required
• Understanding planting, flowering, and harvesting seasons (plant Aug–Sep, harvest Nov).
• Skill to separate saffron threads by hand.
• Knowledge of drying methods (air-dry, solar dryer).
• Basic marketing, branding, or e-commerce skills (optional but powerful).
• Attend agriculture training or consult agri-experts.

Income Potential:

Depends on your quality, branding, and whether you sell raw or packaged.

Legal & Licenses Required:

• Land ownership or lease.
• Farming license or farmer ID (if applying for subsidies).
• FSSAI License (for selling packaged saffron).
• GST Registration (for business scale or online sales).
• Export License / IEC Code (for selling abroad).
• Trademark registration (for your brand, optional).

Support & Govt Schemes (India):

• National Saffron Mission (NSM) – Special programs in J&K.
• NABARD and Agri-loans.
• PM FME & MSME schemes for food businesses.
• Local agri-universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) offer training.