Innovative Nagpur Couple Grows Expensive Saffron Without Soil or Water Using Aeroponic System
Innovative Nagpur Couple Grows Expensive Saffron Without Soil or Water Using Aeroponic System
A Nagpur couple has turned a 400-square-foot room into a high-tech saffron farm. They grow the world’s most expensive spice without soil or water. Their innovative method uses an aeroponic system that mimics the cool climate of Kashmir.
Akshay Holey, a BBA graduate, and his wife Divya Lohakare Holey, a banker, started their project in 2020. They set up an 80-square-foot vertical aeroponic unit on their terrace in the Lok Sewa Nagar area. The couple learned traditional saffron farming in Kashmir over three-and-a-half months in two years. They began with 100 saffron seeds (corms) weighing about 1 kg. This small experiment produced only a few grams of saffron.
Encouraged by their early results, they expanded their operation. They invested in 350 kg of seeds. Today, their units cover 480 square meters in two locations, including a 400-square-foot setup at their flat in Hingna. Over the past two years, the couple has earned between Rs 40 to 50 lakh annually.
Their system has proven very cost-effective. Setting up a 100-square-foot unit costs about Rs 10 lakh and can yield saffron worth Rs 5 lakh per year. The saffron plant produces three to five flowers from each seed, with each flower giving three saffron strands. Saffron is harvested once a year between August and December. During the off-season, the couple cultivates seeds to build stock.
The couple also shares their knowledge. They have trained 150 people in their technique. For Rs 15,000 per participant, they teach the method and help set up new units. Out of these, 29 trainees have successfully started their own saffron farms. The couple then buys the saffron from these new growers for packaging and marketing.
Their setup uses solar power to run machinery that can last 20 to 25 years. There are no ongoing costs for fertilizer or hired labor. This has helped them achieve a profit margin of about 80%. Their saffron, graded by the Saffron Institute of Kashmir, sells for Rs 630 per gram.
In five years, the couple invested Rs 55 lakh and earned Rs 1.3 crore. Most of their profit came in the last two years. By merging traditional farming methods with modern technology, the Nagpur couple has transformed their lives. Their story inspires others to think beyond traditional farming and try new ways to succeed.
