AgriBusiness

The concept of independent women or working women is not new. I have seen my grandmothers working in the fields, farming, and no one questioned them. Women in agriculture or agribusiness is not a new concept. However, the fact is that women in agriculture have often faced family financial instability in the farming community. Nevertheless, women nowadays are proving them wrong, making it a norm, and we have the proof with us.

Success Stories and Opportunities

Some great examples of women’s empowerment in the agriculture field:

Nethra’s Story of Vaaradhi Farm

Nethra Reddy, the founder of Vaaradhi Farms, is an entrepreneur with a passion for organic farming and a sustainable lifestyle. Nethra, an agripreneur from Andhra Pradesh, is currently on the journey of building an organic and sustainable brand. She brings the goodness of nature to your table.

She has a lot of products — from raw organic vegetables to ghee pickles, raw natural honey, lip balms, etc., all organic and natural.

Nethra presents how agriculture can be a great and profitable career option for the young generation.

Binita Kumari’s Story of Mushroom Farming

Binita Kumari is a woman entrepreneur who does mushroom farming. She is from an underprivileged family in Bihar. But Binita’s dedication and hard work helped her to excel in farming. She learned mushroom farming from KVK (Krishi Vikas Kendra). She started her journey by procuring mushroom spawn from KVK Banka and completed her first 25 bags.

Binita is not only a successful mushroom farmer but also a great marketer. Her story inspired many women from her village as well as nearby villages. The Government of India helps women farmers in establishing their own businesses.

Remabhai’s Story of Soilless Dragon Fruit Farming

Agriculture is not always about money; sometimes it also works as mental therapy for a lifestyle that is not lazy but active. This is shown by a farmer from Kerala, Ramadevi, a retired zoology teacher. Where people say retirement is the end of your career and you spend time resting, for Ramadevi, retirement is not the end of her career, but the beginning of a new one.

Ramadevi is from Kerala. She started her journey of dragon fruit farming due to its benefits for the heart and eyes. She started farming on her terrace.

She chose to grow dragon fruit on her terrace and decided to do soilless farming. Though it came with a lot of difficulties, trial and error, and experimentation, she was able to grow them successfully. Her tricks worked like magic, and now she earns a good amount of money from dragon fruit farming post-retirement.

Sharmila’s Story of Drones in Agri-Tech

Under the government’s Drone Didi initiative, Sharmila Yadav, a farmer from Haryana, got herself enrolled in Drone Destination and the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited.

She spent almost 5 weeks studying drones, both theory and practical. She was able to spray fertilizers over agricultural lands and earned a good income by using drones. This is not only the story of Sharmila but also of many other women registered under the Didi scheme.

This is where tech meets agriculture — and, most importantly, small farmers are able to earn from this kind of technology. Women from Varanasi, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and all over India are now part of this movement.

Conclusion

All the stories above show different kinds of opportunities women have in agribusiness.

Opportunity by value addition to your produce and building a brand — like the way Nethra has done with Vaaradhi Farms. This is not just a farm but an initiative towards an organic and sustainable lifestyle.

Binita’s mushroom farming shows us that mushroom farming is profitable and a great opportunity for women farmers. She shows us that it doesn’t matter where you are from; if you have passion and are ready to work hard, you can achieve a fruitful life.

Remabhai shows us that retirement is not the end of your career but the beginning of a new journey, and age is just a number.

Drone Didis showed us that technology is not only for the privileged ones. Technology can be learned and used at any phase of your life; what you need is curiosity and willingness.

Nowadays, onion farmers are facing problems regarding onion mandi prices because of the early monsoon and export bans to some countries. So, what can farmers do with onions in order to generate more money?

We are here with some business ideas that farmers can pursue to earn multiple times the profits from onion farming. We have the top 5 onion business ideas; here’s a breakdown:

Onion Storage Facility/Warehouse

This business is a service-type business model and requires more infrastructure compared to other normal businesses. In this business, if you can manage a storage facility and land for storage, you can make lakhs of rupees from this single business model. Once your business is successful, you can also solve other types of farmers’ problems by offering services like vegetable storage facilities, fruit storage facilities, etc.

Onion Dehydration Unit

The dehydrated onions market is booming. This presents an opportunity in areas where farmers cannot grow onions, and also where people prefer the flavor of onion in food but don’t want to see onion pieces. We can make multiple products from dehydrated onions, such as flakes, powder, and granules.

If you choose to make these types of products, ensure your brand identity and better packaging add an advantage for you. If you export to foreign tier-one countries, you can generate multiple times the revenue compared to local selling. One major advantage of this business is storage: we can store dehydrated onion products for many days.

Onion Paste

This is another good business model for onions because the demand for onion paste is increasing now, especially in big hotel chains and tier-one cities. You can therefore benefit from this increasing demand. However, one problem in this business is storage. If you can solve the storage problem and increase the storage days in this business, you can achieve greater success.

Onion Pickle

Onion pickle is another good business model because of its demand. Whether you are living in a village, town, or city, you likely enjoy onion pickle. This product has a separate fan base, especially in India. If you want to start a business with onions, you can choose this. Simple steps are involved in making this product. If you can export this product, you can generate multiple times the revenue from existing revenue.

Onion Export Business

This is an evergreen business model, provided everything is right between countries. In this business model, you can export fresh onions, dehydrated onion products, or other types of products as well. However, if you are exporting to developed or tier-one countries, you will need some extra certificates compared to other destinations, but you can also generate more money.

So these are the top 5 onion business models you can pursue. If you want to start a business, you should begin with one. If you succeed in that, you can grow and venture into many types of businesses. But before starting, make sure you conduct proper research on raw materials, market demand, certificates, and other essential things. If you want to know more about onion businesses, you can check out our YouTube video on that topic.

Value addition in agriculture means producing the raw produce’s potential by turning it into ready-to-use products. This significantly reduces the burden on customers of handling raw materials themselves. Here, the value of the raw produce also increases, which results in higher retail prices and more profits. And how to convert the raw material into ready-to-use products. This can be done by processing, branding, packaging and marketing. Few such examples are- tomatoes to tomato ketchup, fruits to fruit juices. This process not only increases the value economically but also increases the nutritional value of the product. Let’s see some techniques by which we can increase the value of agricultural produce.

Techniques of value addition in agriculture (with examples)

Following trend

People nowadays are very much interested in organic, gluten-free, vegan products, turmeric shots, herbal supplements, etc.

Turmeric ginger shots (morning shots)

Instead of selling raw turmeric as a farmer, you can add ginger, turmeric, water, etc., to make a healthy soup; these are good for gut health as well as overall health. These are mainly consumed in the morning. This type of product is in demand due to its trend among people; before, if you had sold it, the value wouldn’t have been much, or the demand would have been less.

But due to these kinds of trends, which are healthy and helpful for people. And as a farmer, you will generate a good amount of revenue.

Vegan products

Similarly, people are popularising vegan eating, which is in our tradition if Jains and Brahmins in India. People are understanding the cruelty of the livestock industry and moving to vegan products.

And surprisingly, vegan products are highly priced, as compared to other sources.

This is because now your normal product has a category and a brand label of vegan, the value has increased because of people’s demand.

Processing

Processing involves making the product consumable and convenient to use. There are many ways you can process the raw material. Some examples are pickles, juices, ketchups (tomato ketchups), dehydrating (chili are dried to make powder), potatoes to chips, jams.

This process of processing raw material not only makes it convenient to use but also increases the shelf life and taste of the food. This is a really popular technique for increasing the value of the raw materials.

Packaging and Branding

Packaging helps in maintaining the quality of the product, also the branding done in the packaging helps to influence the decision-making, as well as the consumer might unconsciously memorise the packaging. This is because branding helps in distinguishing your product from the rest of the competition.

Examples- any tea packet that is green reminds you of green tea, a yellow packet is of Maggi. Packaged Basmati rice is better than unpacked rice.

Quality control

As a brand or an agriculture company, you have used all the techniques to improve the product’s value. But here’s what lies maintenance of the brand image which you have created. You need to have a strict recipe for pickles, ketchups, jams, etc. This will help you in having a standard taste across the product line. This will provide more legitimacy, trust for the consumer of the product

Grading and sorting

This involves categorising the products according to their quantity, size, variety/ type, and appearance. This will provide consumers with a variety of options to choose from, hence broadening the consumer segment.

Conclusion

These techniques will not only help farmers in increasing the value of the products but also manage waste properly, as excess raw materials can be processed, and processed food has a higher shelf life as compared to raw materials. Such as fruits, vegetables can be processed into jams, ketchups, sauces, and pickles, which have a higher shelf life.

But here’s the take for all these, you need a proper processing unit and manpower. You need to have proper strategies, resources for all these. The government does provide support in the form of subsidies and financial help to agropreneurs and small farmers.

Agriculture is a sector that will never go out of trend, irrespective of any new technology or AI. However, traditional agriculture techniques are not at all profitable; they were sustainable in the past, but nowadays, with high demand, people need to focus on efficiency and integrate new farming technologies and techniques.
Here are a few of my recommendations for agri-business ideas:

Vertical farming

As the name suggests, crops are grown vertically, stacked in layers. They are mainly grown indoors in a controlled environment, using hydroponics and aquaponics techniques. People usually grow exotic plants in this type of setting, mainly leafy green vegetables.
As exotic vegetables are in low supply and high demand, these vegetables are more expensive compared to others in the market, making this type of business profitable.
Although the initial investment is significant, the returns are high. This results in a high ROI (return on investment), as the returns outweigh the investment.

Agri tourism

Agri tourism is a growing business, as people are increasingly becoming interested in rural lifestyles, farming, and organic food. This trend is driving tourism to rural villages in India.
Seizing the opportunity, farmers are opening their farms to the public and turning them into tourist spots.
People stay at the farms and experience farming and rural lifestyles.
Your streams of revenue will include accommodation and food expenses. Additionally, as your brand or farm gains more exposure, you’ll be able to sell your farm produce directly to customers.
This type of business requires relatively low investment if you already have a farm—you just need to set up accommodation and food facilities for the tourists.

Mushroom Farming

Mushrooms are harvested every 3-4 weeks and are in demand all year round. Mushrooms don’t need sunlight and can be grown indoors. Investment in mushroom farming is low, but the returns are high due to their consistent demand in hotels and households, as they are healthy.
You can grow mushrooms on a small or large scale.
With proper techniques and knowledge, mushrooms are highly profitable.
You will get higher returns because once the mushrooms are successfully grown, there are many vendors willing to purchase them, given their consistent high demand.

Organic Farming

The COVID-19 wave showed people the importance of immunity, and to achieve good immunity, one needs a healthy lifestyle. People are now more health-conscious and mindful of what they consume. Eating organic is one of their key goals as it helps them avoid harmful chemicals commonly used in conventional farming.
Now we know that the demand for organic and healthy food is high, and people are willing to pay extra for organic vegetables.
Investment in organic farming is very low, as no chemical inputs are used—everything is naturally sourced, such as cow dung and natural manure and fertilizers.
Although organic farming is difficult and requires good knowledge and experience in trying new natural techniques, once you master it, it provides high returns with low investment and great ROI.

Livestock Rearing

Livestock farming is a highly profitable business in 2025. It involves raising animals for various purposes such as meat, wool, milk, and labor.
This type of farming is profitable with medium to low investment compared to the profit you can earn.
Cows can be used for milk, and products like ghee, butter, and curd. Proper care is necessary, including good maintenance during breeding phases and regular checkups.
Poultry farming—raising chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc.—is also profitable for their eggs and meat, which are highly nutritious.
The main investments involve food, shelter, and health checkups for the animals.

Fish Farming (Aquaculture)

Raising fish in natural or artificial ponds or tanks is called aquaculture or fish farming. These fish are raised for meat and can be a very good source of income.
Investment goes into building ponds, purchasing eggs or fish for breeding, their food, water quality (in artificial ponds), and equipment.
Fish farming is easier compared to other types of livestock farming, as fish do not require as much maintenance.

Nursery Business

People’s love for plants has made this business profitable. In the nursery business, you need to have very good knowledge of plants and produce high-quality ones.
You need to maintain a wide variety of plants and take regular care of them. Propagation is key to growing the nursery, and to do this effectively, you must be an expert in the field.
The nursery business requires low investment—mostly in labor, manure, fertilizers, and pesticides.
There are few additional expenses beyond these. However, expertise in growing plants is essential.
There is high profit due to the growing popularity and demand for plants. Your customer base includes gardening enthusiasts, landscapers, and agricultural producers.

Conclusion

The above are some of the profitable businesses—it’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more such business ideas.
Agriculture is a field that will never go out of trend, and as a result, it offers endless opportunities.
The only key to excelling in agribusiness is having expertise in a particular field, along with a good amount of time, patience, and hard work.

Agriculture students are uniquely positioned to leverage their knowledge and skills to start successful businesses. With the growing importance of sustainable practices and the integration of technology in farming, there are numerous opportunities to explore. Here are 10 promising business ideas for agriculture students that can help them carve out a niche in the agricultural sector.

Organic Farming

With the increasing demand for organic products, organic farming presents a lucrative business opportunity. As an agriculture student, you can utilize your expertise to cultivate organic vegetables, fruits, or spices. Focus on high-demand products and market them through local markets or online platforms. The growing awareness of health and sustainability makes organic farming a profitable venture.

Agriculture Consultancy

Farmers are always seeking ways to improve their yield and efficiency. As a knowledgeable agriculture student, you can offer consultancy services on crop management, pest control, or modern farming techniques. By helping farmers optimize their processes, you can build a successful consultancy business. This is especially valuable for small-scale farmers who may lack access to expert advice.

Agri-Tech Solutions

The integration of technology in agriculture is transforming the industry. If you have a knack for technology, consider developing or promoting agri-tech products. This could include soil testing kits, weather prediction apps, or IoT-based farm management systems. With the right innovation, you can tap into the growing agri-tech market and make a significant impact.

Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Hydroponics and aquaponics are soilless farming techniques that are gaining popularity due to their efficiency and space-saving benefits. These methods allow you to grow crops in controlled environments, making them ideal for urban areas or places with limited arable land. You can start your own hydroponics or aquaponics farm or offer setup services to others interested in these modern farming techniques.

Agro-Processing

Agro-processing involves converting raw agricultural products into value-added goods. This could include making fruit juices, pickles, jams, or packaged snacks. With a small initial investment, you can set up an agro-processing unit and supply these products to local markets or retailers. This business allows you to capitalize on the demand for convenient and ready-to-eat food products.

Agriculture Blogging or Vlogging

If you enjoy sharing your knowledge, consider starting a blog, YouTube channel, or social media platform focused on agriculture. You can create content on farming techniques, product reviews, or interviews with successful farmers. Monetize your content through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing. This is a great way to turn your passion for agriculture into a profitable online business.

Seed Production and Supply

High-quality seeds are essential for successful farming. If you have expertise in seed production, consider starting a seed business. You can specialize in hybrid seeds, heirloom varieties, or organic seeds. By supplying seeds to local farmers or partnering with agricultural agencies, you can build a thriving business with steady demand.

Nursery Business

Starting a plant nursery is a viable business option for agriculture students. You can grow and sell saplings, ornamental plants, or medicinal herbs. Nurseries cater to a wide range of customers, from farmers to home gardeners and landscapers. With the right selection of plants and proper marketing, a nursery business can be both fulfilling and profitable.

Beekeeping and Honey Production

Beekeeping is a low-investment business that can yield high returns. By producing honey and other bee products like beeswax or royal jelly, you can tap into the growing market for natural and organic products. Additionally, bees help with pollination, benefiting nearby crops and enhancing your overall agricultural efforts.

Agricultural Equipment Rental

Many small-scale farmers cannot afford to purchase expensive machinery. By starting an agricultural equipment rental business, you can provide access to tractors, tillers, irrigation systems, and other essential tools. This business model helps you generate income while supporting farmers in improving their productivity.

Conclusion

Agriculture students have a unique advantage in starting businesses that cater to the agricultural sector. Whether you choose organic farming, agro-processing, or agri-tech solutions, these business ideas offer great potential for growth. By leveraging your knowledge and skills, you can make a meaningful impact on the industry while building a successful career.