Engineer-turned-organic farmer sells tomatoes at Re 1 per kg

Thirumal, a native of Balur near Madanur on the Vellore-Tirupattur district border, has been involved in organic farming for quite some time after he quit his lucrative IT job in Bengaluru some time ago. 

Asked how he could sell organically grown vegetables so cheaply, he told DT Next, “when I took my tomato load to the Ambur wholesale market I was offered Rs 3 per kilo which included Re 1 each for transport, agents commission and my profit. Hence I realised that I could earn more if I sold the produce directly to customers as the market purchases it from me for Rs 3 per kilo and retails it for Rs 10.” 

It was then that he thought of creating the app “vivasayi mundy”. 

He did so a few days ago with trepidation not knowing whether it would work and was surprised when the first day itself he received 65 orders which enabled him to sell his daily harvest of 500 kilos of tomatoes. Though he has taken 5 acres land on lease where he along with his father Rajamanickam and family members are involved in raising various locally grown vegetables including chillies, brinjals, greens and drumsticks, he said, “I am scouting for additional land as I propose to finally cover around 60 acres with organically grown crops.” 

His success has also resulted in some local farmers offering their produce to him for sale. “I only accept locally and organically grown produce” he says. As he sells directly to customers, “every rupee is my profit and inputs for the crops are my and my family’s efforts” he adds. 

He has also tied up with another large scale organic farmer resulting in both now supplying a prominent super market chain in Vellore with vegetables daily. 

According to him farming will become remunerative if people avoided plastic and saved water.