Mr. Shubham Patel, Co-founder and COO, Agadyati Herbs and Food Private Limited, Jabalpur, MP, discusses about revolutionising agriculture, sustainable practices and the role of organic stevia cultivation.
As we all know, diabetes is not a small disease, and nowadays it is spreading fast all over the world. India is unfortunately the second largest country with diabetes in the world. Every one person in four is affected by diabetes. There are about a hundred million people who are affected by diabetes. The main culprit in this case is the white sugar which is a poison slowly depleting our health steadily and affecting our immune system to cause severe diseases like diabetes, cardiac issues, obesity, fatty lever, cancer, and NAFLD. India also happens to be the third in the world with most obese persons. About 443 million people are affected in the world as per the data from WHO, International Diabetic Foundation, and ICMR. One of the solutions currently for this condition is using stevia, and we are producing organic stevia powder.
We are constantly monitoring 100% natural sugar free and zero calorie sugar substitutes because we want to eradicate all these diseases, and people start living a healthier life style with a healthy sweet option. Sugar is harmful and increases the blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels in our body. If we use stevia, it is a 100% organic, natural and sugar-free alternative which means it will not spike our blood sugar levels. A diabetic patient can enjoy sweetener easily. It is easy to control the body as stevia has zero calorie. People who are fitness enthusiasts and following healthy and conscious lifestyle want healthier alternative for sugar, and that is why stevia is very beneficial in our lives. There are many benefits of using our stevia powder to achieve weight loss, prevents diabetic, promotes cardiac health, prevents liver diseases and cancer. All these features are not found in other products from other companies which are artificially coloured and hence harmful to health. Organic stevia from Injiya is a very good substitute for fit and healthy lifestyle and for diabetes.
We have our transparent sourcing as we grow stevia in our land of 10 acres in Madhya Pradesh. We are organic certified, and so, our product is of highest quality. It is 100% premium high quality stevia leaves and powder. We come up with stevia based products such as stevia tea, stevia sachets, and herbal tea, sweets, and bakery products. All our products are free of additives and preservatives. We do not add any harmful chemicals for preservation. We were honoured by Indian President, Hon’ble Smt. Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister, Hon’ble Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan for our achievements in 2020. We have also been appreciated by Dr. Vijay Shaw. The CEO of National Medicinal Plant Board has also appreciated our work and congratulated our journey of promoting organic agriculture practices and marketing our products. Our farmers get better profit by cultivating this. Visits, fairs, and trainings are conducted in our farm. Colleges, agriculture institutes, medical institutes, and biotech institutes visit our farm, and we train them on cultivation of stevia, how to manufacture, and make it a product. We are also available on Amazon, Flipkart, Tata 1MG, Netmed, Jiomart, Pharm Easy, and Healthkart.
Why are we considered better than other products? We have national recognition for our mission to promote natural sweeteners, inhouse stevia cultivation, manufacturing, and processing. We have total control over our products which are free of preservatives and additives which is rare to find in the market as other brands do use them. We have rigorous quality control and transparent raw material sourcing. That is why people prefer Injiya over other brands as they have the assurance of a 100% pure stevia. The price is also competitive when compared to other brands. The market size and potential of stevia in India currently is 1.2 billion dollars which will soon be shooting up to 5.5 billion dollars. We are also promoting tie up with farmers. We are available on health expert stores, doctors’ prescriptions, pharmacies, retail medical outlets, gyms, and personal trainers who recommend our stevia.
We are developing a community of all the stevia growing farmers and those who are interested in cultivating stevia. We can provide them with raw materials. We can also supply raw materials to manufacturers and buyers if they need. We have tie-up with farmers, and we can channelise the stevia market and provide one platform where they all can connect for procuring stevia. It is highly recommended that everyone should use stevia by replacing sugar and enjoy the sweetness in life.
How can we maximise the value of our organic stevia cultivation through innovative processing techniques?
It is mandatory to turn to organic farming and not use chemical pesticide or fertilisers. We get natural vermicompost and pure organic compost only for the cultivation. Use of drip irrigation has more benefits for stevia cultivation. It can be cultivated in polyhouse and greenhouse to get better quality than cultivating in open field. We can cultivate in open field also with the help of god mother plant cuttings. We provide them too as they are grown in completely well-maintained greenhouses and polyhouse. We are major mother plant growers from which cuttings are taken and planted on the open fields. The stevia should be planted on a 2.5 m length and 0.5 ft height bed. They should be watered carefully as excess water can affect the quality and content of stevia. We are doing organic cultivation and keep them in cool atmosphere. We do not use any instruments for plucking the leaves or grass. They are hand-plucked by labours and the vermicompost given using hands only for getting best and high quality products.
What sustainable practices can be implemented to enhance quality and yield of stevia plants?
The cultivation and procurement procedure should be done using hands only and stored in safe places. We can follow sustainable practices such as not using fertilisers or add any extra substances to the soil. The weeds should be plucked using hand only, and we can use solar pumps as it requires less water. When the time for harvest comes, we should pluck each leaf by hand, cut by hand, and store them in a safe zone where it will not be infected by any insect or pests.
Are there any specific technologies to streamline the cultivation and harvesting practices of stevia?
Currently, there are no specific technologies available for harvest and cultivation of stevia. It is done by using hands only and physical labour.
How can we ensure efficient utilisation of resources such as water and land in stevia cultivation?
The basic requirements are land and water. We have to sort out and plough the land well and add manure to increase the fertility. Water can be applied with sprinklers, and in places where there is scarcity of water, we can go for drip irrigation or manual application if the area is small. When we are doing in large scale, we must use drip irrigation facilities to irrigate stevia plants and to get better yield.
What are the potential value added products that can be derived from stevia, and how can we integrate it into our business model?
Stevia is a natural sweetener, and we can get the natural sweetness. We can make products like stevia extract, powder, leaves are being used for diabetes and health-conscious consumers as replacement for sugar. It can be added to every item that needs sweetness. It can be used in tea, coffee, and other food items.
Can you suggest any cost effective method for pest and disease management in organic stevia cultivation?
There are no need for pesticide and disease management for stevia when we grow it in clean space and in polyhouses or greenhouses or clean open field. It grows easily, and there is no harm from pests on stevia leaves as it does not attract any pest or insect. So there is no need for any treatment. It needs clean water, pure soil, vermicompost, FYM or manure. We have to water the plants carefully at appropriate times to get good yield of stevia crop.
How can digital tools and precision agriculture techniques improve the production and profitability of stevia farming?
Digital tools and precision agriculture techniques can definitely improve the quality and quantity of stevia farming. But currently there are no customised tools for stevia alone but there may be some digital tools that we can apply on stevia leaves and find the amount of sweetness it has in the unit measured in sweeteners. Those tools can be helpful to identify in future how this plant is capable of becoming good mother plant from which we can take cuttings and develop more stevia crops out of it. If tools to identify diseases and upcoming problems in the plants can be developed, we can eradicate these diseases and problems in advance to get good cultivation and quality products. Digital tools can help us in warehouses, manufacturing, and packaging which we are using already. We use these tools to pack the stevia products in sealed pouches, supply to the market so that consumers can directly buy them.
Are there any training or educational programs for the farmers to adapt the sustainable practices in stevia cultivation?
We provide all kinds of tools, techniques, and training to farmers who want to grow stevia. We also provide raw materials, seedlings, and buy-back agreement if their product is of good quality. We can help continuous surveillance of the stevia market and give platform where the group of farmers and manufacturers can be created to meet and buy the raw materials. We are providing such platform very soon. We can procure the raw materials and supply to the stevia businesses and sellers who want such good quality material. We can help in connecting stevia manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, farmers, and other research institutes to work on stevia cultivation and developing products.
Can you recommend any organic certification standards relevant to stevia cultivation, and how can we obtain them? Are there any government subsidies to support stevia cultivation?
Every state has its own organic certification agency to issue certification for the land after checking all requirements. Then the land is certified as growing everything organic. The stevia that is grown there has the certification and licensing for any manufacturer and packager to use the raw materials for manufacturing various products and for packaging. A license from APEDA and NPOP is also required for every organic product. NPOP certification is also needed for all organic products. There is no government subsidy for stevia products. But there are some schemes from both central and state governments and MSME too. We have to check on the Government of India portal where we can get the complete details of these schemes and subsidies available to us. Then we can apply for the same.
What is the role of soil health in successful cultivation of organic stevia, and how can we maintain the soil fertility?
Using vermicompost we can maintain the soil fertility. Organic manure is the only option to maintain the soil fertility. It has to be changed for each crop for the soil to retain the nutrient value and not for just one crop alone. There is a huge opportunity for the tools as people are preferring to use natural and healthy sugar, thereby increasing the demand for stevia and its products.
Mr Shubham Patel
Co-Founder & COO
Agadyati Herbs & Food Private
Limited
Indraprastha, Near Narayan Dham
Mandir, Village Hinauta, Block
Kundam, Jabalpur, MP, 483110
Email: injiyastevia@gmail.com
Phone: 8982140306
As we all know, diabetes is not a small disease, and nowadays it is spreading fast all over the world. India is unfortunately the second largest country with diabetes in the world. Every one person in four is affected by diabetes. There are about a hundred million people who are affected by diabetes. The main culprit in this case is the white sugar which is a poison slowly depleting our health steadily and affecting our immune system to cause severe diseases like diabetes, cardiac issues, obesity, fatty lever, cancer, and NAFLD. India also happens to be the third in the world with most obese persons. About 443 million people are affected in the world as per the data from WHO, International Diabetic Foundation, and ICMR. One of the solutions currently for this condition is using stevia, and we are producing organic stevia powder.
We are constantly monitoring 100% natural sugar free and zero calorie sugar substitutes because we want to eradicate all these diseases, and people start living a healthier life style with a healthy sweet option. Sugar is harmful and increases the blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels in our body. If we use stevia, it is a 100% organic, natural and sugar-free alternative which means it will not spike our blood sugar levels. A diabetic patient can enjoy sweetener easily. It is easy to control the body as stevia has zero calorie. People who are fitness enthusiasts and following healthy and conscious lifestyle want healthier alternative for sugar, and that is why stevia is very beneficial in our lives. There are many benefits of using our stevia powder to achieve weight loss, prevents diabetic, promotes cardiac health, prevents liver diseases and cancer. All these features are not found in other products from other companies which are artificially coloured and hence harmful to health. Organic stevia from Injiya is a very good substitute for fit and healthy lifestyle and for diabetes.
We have our transparent sourcing as we grow stevia in our land of 10 acres in Madhya Pradesh. We are organic certified, and so, our product is of highest quality. It is 100% premium high quality stevia leaves and powder. We come up with stevia based products such as stevia tea, stevia sachets, and herbal tea, sweets, and bakery products. All our products are free of additives and preservatives. We do not add any harmful chemicals for preservation. We were honoured by Indian President, Hon’ble Smt. Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister, Hon’ble Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan for our achievements in 2020. We have also been appreciated by Dr. Vijay Shaw. The CEO of National Medicinal Plant Board has also appreciated our work and congratulated our journey of promoting organic agriculture practices and marketing our products. Our farmers get better profit by cultivating this. Visits, fairs, and trainings are conducted in our farm. Colleges, agriculture institutes, medical institutes, and biotech institutes visit our farm, and we train them on cultivation of stevia, how to manufacture, and make it a product. We are also available on Amazon, Flipkart, Tata 1MG, Netmed, Jiomart, Pharm Easy, and Healthkart.
Why are we considered better than other products? We have national recognition for our mission to promote natural sweeteners, inhouse stevia cultivation, manufacturing, and processing. We have total control over our products which are free of preservatives and additives which is rare to find in the market as other brands do use them. We have rigorous quality control and transparent raw material sourcing. That is why people prefer Injiya over other brands as they have the assurance of a 100% pure stevia. The price is also competitive when compared to other brands. The market size and potential of stevia in India currently is 1.2 billion dollars which will soon be shooting up to 5.5 billion dollars. We are also promoting tie up with farmers. We are available on health expert stores, doctors’ prescriptions, pharmacies, retail medical outlets, gyms, and personal trainers who recommend our stevia.
We are developing a community of all the stevia growing farmers and those who are interested in cultivating stevia. We can provide them with raw materials. We can also supply raw materials to manufacturers and buyers if they need. We have tie-up with farmers, and we can channelise the stevia market and provide one platform where they all can connect for procuring stevia. It is highly recommended that everyone should use stevia by replacing sugar and enjoy the sweetness in life.
How can we maximise the value of our organic stevia cultivation through innovative processing techniques?
It is mandatory to turn to organic farming and not use chemical pesticide or fertilisers. We get natural vermicompost and pure organic compost only for the cultivation. Use of drip irrigation has more benefits for stevia cultivation. It can be cultivated in polyhouse and greenhouse to get better quality than cultivating in open field. We can cultivate in open field also with the help of god mother plant cuttings. We provide them too as they are grown in completely well-maintained greenhouses and polyhouse. We are major mother plant growers from which cuttings are taken and planted on the open fields. The stevia should be planted on a 2.5 m length and 0.5 ft height bed. They should be watered carefully as excess water can affect the quality and content of stevia. We are doing organic cultivation and keep them in cool atmosphere. We do not use any instruments for plucking the leaves or grass. They are hand-plucked by labours and the vermicompost given using hands only for getting best and high quality products.
What sustainable practices can be implemented to enhance quality and yield of stevia plants?
The cultivation and procurement procedure should be done using hands only and stored in safe places. We can follow sustainable practices such as not using fertilisers or add any extra substances to the soil. The weeds should be plucked using hand only, and we can use solar pumps as it requires less water. When the time for harvest comes, we should pluck each leaf by hand, cut by hand, and store them in a safe zone where it will not be infected by any insect or pests.
Are there any specific technologies to streamline the cultivation and harvesting practices of stevia?
Currently, there are no specific technologies available for harvest and cultivation of stevia. It is done by using hands only and physical labour.
How can we ensure efficient utilisation of resources such as water and land in stevia cultivation?
The basic requirements are land and water. We have to sort out and plough the land well and add manure to increase the fertility. Water can be applied with sprinklers, and in places where there is scarcity of water, we can go for drip irrigation or manual application if the area is small. When we are doing in large scale, we must use drip irrigation facilities to irrigate stevia plants and to get better yield.
What are the potential value added products that can be derived from stevia, and how can we integrate it into our business model?
Stevia is a natural sweetener, and we can get the natural sweetness. We can make products like stevia extract, powder, leaves are being used for diabetes and health-conscious consumers as replacement for sugar. It can be added to every item that needs sweetness. It can be used in tea, coffee, and other food items.
Can you suggest any cost effective method for pest and disease management in organic stevia cultivation?
There are no need for pesticide and disease management for stevia when we grow it in clean space and in polyhouses or greenhouses or clean open field. It grows easily, and there is no harm from pests on stevia leaves as it does not attract any pest or insect. So there is no need for any treatment. It needs clean water, pure soil, vermicompost, FYM or manure. We have to water the plants carefully at appropriate times to get good yield of stevia crop.
How can digital tools and precision agriculture techniques improve the production and profitability of stevia farming?
Digital tools and precision agriculture techniques can definitely improve the quality and quantity of stevia farming. But currently there are no customised tools for stevia alone but there may be some digital tools that we can apply on stevia leaves and find the amount of sweetness it has in the unit measured in sweeteners. Those tools can be helpful to identify in future how this plant is capable of becoming good mother plant from which we can take cuttings and develop more stevia crops out of it. If tools to identify diseases and upcoming problems in the plants can be developed, we can eradicate these diseases and problems in advance to get good cultivation and quality products. Digital tools can help us in warehouses, manufacturing, and packaging which we are using already. We use these tools to pack the stevia products in sealed pouches, supply to the market so that consumers can directly buy them.
Are there any training or educational programs for the farmers to adapt the sustainable practices in stevia cultivation?
We provide all kinds of tools, techniques, and training to farmers who want to grow stevia. We also provide raw materials, seedlings, and buy-back agreement if their product is of good quality. We can help continuous surveillance of the stevia market and give platform where the group of farmers and manufacturers can be created to meet and buy the raw materials. We are providing such platform very soon. We can procure the raw materials and supply to the stevia businesses and sellers who want such good quality material. We can help in connecting stevia manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, farmers, and other research institutes to work on stevia cultivation and developing products.
Can you recommend any organic certification standards relevant to stevia cultivation, and how can we obtain them? Are there any government subsidies to support stevia cultivation?
Every state has its own organic certification agency to issue certification for the land after checking all requirements. Then the land is certified as growing everything organic. The stevia that is grown there has the certification and licensing for any manufacturer and packager to use the raw materials for manufacturing various products and for packaging. A license from APEDA and NPOP is also required for every organic product. NPOP certification is also needed for all organic products. There is no government subsidy for stevia products. But there are some schemes from both central and state governments and MSME too. We have to check on the Government of India portal where we can get the complete details of these schemes and subsidies available to us. Then we can apply for the same.
What is the role of soil health in successful cultivation of organic stevia, and how can we maintain the soil fertility?
Using vermicompost we can maintain the soil fertility. Organic manure is the only option to maintain the soil fertility. It has to be changed for each crop for the soil to retain the nutrient value and not for just one crop alone. There is a huge opportunity for the tools as people are preferring to use natural and healthy sugar, thereby increasing the demand for stevia and its products.
Mr Shubham Patel
Co-Founder & COO
Agadyati Herbs & Food Private
Limited
Indraprastha, Near Narayan Dham
Mandir, Village Hinauta, Block
Kundam, Jabalpur, MP, 483110
Email: injiyastevia@gmail.com
Phone: 8982140306
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