Farmer's Soilless Strawberry Venture Yields Rs 44 Lakh in Sales

Ketan Sodha, a 57-year-old fourth-generation Mumbaikar with no prior farming experience before 2016, has successfully transformed strawberry cultivation in Mahabaleshwar. Traditionally, open-field strawberry growing stops completely through summer and monsoon months due to heat and rainfall. After his agricultural land business slowed dramatically following 2016 demonetisation, Sodha switched to strawberry farming, initially facing a “disaster” with his first 5,000 plants. Undeterred, he increased to 10,000 plants in 2017, soon outperforming conventional growers.

His venture, Berry Fresh Agrotech LLP, incorporated on 14 October 2022, now operates a soilless polyhouse in Mahabaleshwar with the capacity for 19,500 strawberry plants. This innovative approach, developed after a 2021-22 trip to four countries and consultations with experts from six, addresses challenges like unseasonal rain and the need to extend the growing season. The plants thrive in cocopeat, under a retractable roof with a misting system, and benefit from the farm's 1,400-metre altitude, automated fertigation, and ozone-treated rainwater.

From January 2024 to December 2025, the farm reportedly produced around 8,000 kg of fruit, generating Rs 44 lakh in sales at approximate prices of Rs 400 to Rs 600 per kg. Sales are 60% B2C and 40% B2B, reaching customers in Mumbai, Delhi, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, and Goa through word of mouth. Prashant Tatia, a Bhopal fruit shop owner, praises the strawberries' “vibrant colour, natural shine, uniform shape, exceptional taste, higher sweetness, longer shelf life, and outstandingly rich aroma,” noting their consistent quality even off-season. Sodha is now planning a five-acre facility with 200,000 plants, aiming to expand production into non-traditional months.

Why it matters: This demonstrates how innovative farming techniques can overcome traditional climate limitations and boost agricultural productivity and income.

Editor's note: The draft effectively synthesizes the source material, capturing the narrative arc from the founder's background to his operational challenges and future goals.