Nagpur Couple Grows Saffron Without Soil or Water, Earns Lakhs

A Nagpur couple has turned a small 400-square-foot room into a high-tech saffron farm, growing the world’s most expensive spice without using soil or water. They use an aeroponic system that creates conditions similar to Kashmir’s cool climate.

How It Started

Akshay Holey, a BBA graduate, and his wife Divya Lohakare Holey, a banker, started their saffron farming journey in 2020. They first experimented with a small 80-square-foot unit on their terrace in Lok Sewa Nagar, Nagpur. The couple trained in Kashmir for over three years to learn traditional saffron farming.

They began with just 100 saffron seeds (corms) weighing 1 kg, which produced only a few grams of saffron. But they didn’t stop there.

Growing Their Business

Encouraged by their initial success, they invested in 350 kg of saffron seeds and expanded their farm. Today, their farming units cover 480 square meters at two locations, including a 400-square-foot setup in Hingna. Their business now earns Rs 40-50 lakh per year.

How Their Farming Works

• Setting up a 100-square-foot unit costs about Rs 10 lakh but can generate Rs 5 lakh per year.
• Each saffron seed produces 3 to 5 flowers, with each flower giving three saffron strands.
• Saffron is harvested once a year from August to December.
• In the off-season, they cultivate seeds to grow more saffron in the future.

Helping Others Start Their Own Farms

The couple also trains others in their method. They charge Rs 15,000 per participant and have already trained 150 people. Out of them, 29 trainees have started their own saffron farms, and the couple buys saffron from them for packaging and selling.

Smart Farming with Solar Power

• Their system runs on solar energy, making it cost-efficient.
• Machinery lasts 20 to 25 years, and there are no ongoing costs for fertilizer or labor.
• Their saffron is graded by the Saffron Institute of Kashmir and sells for Rs 630 per gram.

Success in Numbers

In just five years, they invested Rs 55 lakh and earned Rs 1.3 crore, with most profits coming in the last two years.

By combining traditional farming with modern technology, this Nagpur couple has not only transformed their lives but also inspired many others to think beyond traditional agriculture and try innovative farming methods.