Portal recruits farmers for a monthly salary to grow greens

The e-commerce venture, Keerai Kadai, has employed 15 farmers on contract to work in their farms to raise greens. “We have employed the farmers on a monthly salary ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, have given them a place to stay and free food,” said Sri Ram Subramanian, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the venture.

It was a move to address the root cause of people quitting farming for other salaried professions. “We introduced this concept, as many left farming ruing over not getting a committed salary. Even last week, our farmers were out of work for a few days due to rains, yet they don’t stand to lose financially. So we hope our new concept may encourage many to return to farming,” he added.

To begin with, Keerai Kadai has employed farmers to work on their 15 acres of organic farms. If this concept proves to be successful, then these entrepreneurs would replicate the idea among their vast network of farmers across Tamil Nadu. Also farmers’ lands have been taken on lease to grow greens.

Two years into their operations, the venture is now selling around 100 varieties of greens and herbs to a wide clientele across Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“We are creating a database of farmers interested in working with us across Tamil Nadu. Inquiries are pouring in from land owners to give their lands on lease to help us employ more farmers. There are no job timings, but farmers have been asked to be dedicated to deliver maximum produce of greens,” said Subramanian.

According to Subramanian, it would be affordable for them to pay the stipulated salary to farmers. “A farmer who owns an acre of land can easily get up to Rs 60,000 by growing greens, if they work on their own instead of relying too much on labourers. So, we have worked out a revenue model that could be implemented,” he said.

Currently Keerai Kadai procures around 1.5 tonnes per day to supply to retail stores in Coimbatore and Madurai, and its online customers as well. Also, two tonnes is sent on alternative days to Kerala.

Keerai Kadai has also decided to expand its presence to Chennai, Bengaluru and Vijayawada in a few months.