In 2016, Satyendra Dwivedi has founded an organic food production company called Elworld Agro. Within only two years, he was able win over 2000 partners – thanks to his company’s farmer-friendly pricing model.

All through his career as founder of Elcomponics Sales Pvt Ltd, a cable assembly manufacturing company, Satyendra Dwivedi harboured a secret desire – a pas­sion for farming. But what he thought would be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience, left him disenchanted when he wit­nessed the harsh realities of conventional farming.

He was mortified to see the volume of harmful chemicals used in main­stream farming and realised their havoc-wreaking effect on humans as well as on the environment. Deeply troubled by the poison in the food chain and its connection to the significant increase in the number of can­cer patients in the last few decades, Dwivedi was compelled to go the organic route.

This instagram post shows Elworld Organic's founder Satyendra Dwivedi (second from the left):

 

 

 

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Initially, his goal was to grow enough organic food for family and friends, but his larger commitment to organic farming and organic farmers eventually led to the birth of Elworld Organic in 2016.

Pro-farmer policy

Dwivedi believes in “Kisan Swasth toh Desh Swasth” (English: Healthy Farmers equal a Healthy Nation) and that this can be achieved only through organic farming. “I dream of a utopian future where farmers earn the rightful due for their toil, farmer suicides are a thing of the past and farming as a profession gains the respect and recognition it so richly deserves,” he says.

Elworld’s mission is to empower as many farmers as possible and motivate them to convert from chemical based farming to organic farming. Dwivedi and his team are convinced that as more people forgo conventional foods, which have been treated with pesticides, the cost of production for organic foods will decrease, leading to spurt in demand.

“I dream of a utopian future where farmers earn the rightful due for their toil, farmer suicides are a thing of the past and farming as a profession gains the respect and recognition it so richly deserves.”

– Satyendra Dwivedi

He explains that farmers are circumspect about organic farming due to the longer gestation period required to yield profits. To counter this, Elworld Organic has developed a more farmer-friendly pricing model. “All our farm­ers get 15-30% higher prices than mandi rates (current daily price of various commodities from various markets) or minimum support price. For example, if farmers are being offered 20 rupees (Rs) per kg for wheat in the market, we pay them Rs 35. We recently bought mustard at Rs 48 per kg from farmers who were being offered Rs 29 for the same elsewhere. This is our way of motivating them and limiting reconversion to chemical farm­ing,” Dwivedi explains.

Elworld’s organic journey

Elworld Organic has its organic farm in Khair in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Today, the company has joined hands with more than 2,000 organic farmers – part  of the Elgrow Farmers Association – hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.

Source: YouTube/Elcomponics Group

Natural pest repellents

On its farms, Elworld strictly uses natural plant growth boosters such as Panchagavya and  Jeevamrutha – both of which are prepared from cow excreta and other natural ingredients. To repel pests, neem and butter­milk are used, which are environment friendly alternatives to poisonous pesticides.

Renewable energy solutions

Not just on the fields but off-farm also, Dwivedi and his team promulgate clean and healthy living. They’ve established a solar-run organic food can­teen at the corporate office in Noida (UP), which caters organic meals to each employee at the group.

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Organic product range and distribution

Elworld’s organic product range spans more than 100 items, encompassing groceries (pulses, flours, spices, oils, cereals), dried fruits, health boosters and ready-to-eat snacks. With its flagship retail outlet located in the DLF Mall of India (Noida), the brand’s offerings are also avail­able across modern trade stores, as well as, on its native online store. Its range of health products includes amongst others, Telangana Sona (a sugar free rice with low glycemic index) and yellow mustard oil (Kachi Ghani).

Elworld also imports specialty organic products directly from organic farmers of foreign countries. Medjoul dates are procured from an Israeli farmers’ cooperative, almonds from a farmers’ group in Sicily, Italy; and extra virgin olive oil is imported from family-owned farms in Italy and Greece. Sourcing directly from farmers and then selling directly to end consumers allows these exotic products to be sold at the lowest possible prices, without additional retailer charges.

Furthermore, the company offers coconut sugar, nut butters, black rice cookies, and organic tea from Darjeeling. A dedicated processing unit for cold pressed juices is also being set up, for which organic ingredients are being sourced from northeast India.

Pure & Eco India is an Indian print magazine focusing on South Asia’s organic sector: www.pureecoindia.in