In the heart of West Bengal’s East Midnapore district, Arup Kumar Ghosh has transformed marigold farming into a thriving enterprise. Starting with a modest income of ₹3,500 per month, he now earns approximately ₹50 lakh monthly through his innovative approach to floriculture.
Journey from Flower Vendor to Floriculture Entrepreneur
- Early Beginnings: In 2010, Arup dropped out of college and began working at a flower shop in Hyderabad’s Gudimalkapur market, earning ₹3,500 per month.
- Initial Ventures: He started by purchasing marigold strings from Kolaghat and selling them locally, making a profit of ₹2,000–₹3,000 per 100 strings.
- First Farming Attempt: In 2011, he leased two bighas of land for ₹12,000 to cultivate marigolds but faced challenges due to low-quality local saplings.
- International Learning: Determined to improve, Arup traveled to Thailand, where he learned about the high-quality “Tennis Ball” marigold variety and brought back 25 grams of seeds.
Scaling Up the Marigold Business
- Quality Improvement: By cultivating the Tennis Ball variety, known for its vibrant, round flowers and durability during shipping, Arup enhanced the quality of his produce.
- Market Expansion: His marigolds gained popularity across cities like Gujarat, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Delhi, Ayodhya, Allahabad, and Rajasthan.
- Seed and Sapling Production: Arup began producing his own seeds and saplings, which became highly sought after by farmers nationwide.
- Social Media Utilization: He leveraged platforms like Facebook and Instagram to showcase his farm and sell products, expanding his customer base.
Current Operations and Achievements
- Farm Expansion: Arup’s farm now spans 73 bighas (approximately 29.2 acres), cultivating orange, yellow, and red marigolds.
- Production Volume: In 2024, he sold approximately 4 crore saplings and 1,500 kg of marigold seeds, priced at ₹25,000 per kg.
- Daily Harvest: During peak seasons, his farm yields between 800 and 1,000 kg of marigold flowers daily, sold to wholesale markets in Hyderabad, Kolaghat, and Howrah.
- Revenue Generation: The farm generates an annual revenue between ₹6.35 crore and ₹7.35 crore, with an average monthly income of around ₹50 lakh.
- Employment: He employs 80 workers to manage planting, harvesting, and maintenance activities on the farm.
Overcoming Challenges
- Water Management: To prevent crop damage during monsoons, Arup implemented effective drainage systems to avoid water stagnation.
- Pest Control: He uses natural solutions like neem oil, bone dust, and cow dung manure to manage pests, avoiding harmful chemicals.t
- Worker Training: Arup invested time in training his workers, ensuring they acquired the necessary skills for successful marigold cultivation.
Arup Kumar Ghosh’s journey from a college dropout to a successful marigold farmer exemplifies the potential of innovative approaches in agriculture. His story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs in the farming sector.
