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Growers and processors of spirulina at Tumkur, Bengaluru
“Growing spirulina is not at all difficult but selling is the biggest problem because more than 95% Indians are unaware of the vital micronutrients and protein content present in spirulina,” says Mr. Mahesh RV, Founder, Spirulina Foundation. It was started in 2010 at Tumkur, Bengaluru. Every month on an average 300 kg spirulina is grown and processed into capsules, tablets and granules at the company.
Mr. Mahesh RV
Spirulina is blue green algae produced in water after adding mother culture along with sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, urea, potassium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, phosphoric acid and ferrous sulphate. “The ratio of mother culture and other ingredients varies with respect to the quantity of spirulina to be grown and time duration. For example if 1 kg of culture is mixed in 10 liter of water then in just one day time spirulina is produced while when 1 kg culture is mixed in 100 liter or 1000 liter water then it is produced in 4 days or 30 days respectively,” he shares.
It needs highly alkaline pH water and good quality of spirulina culture. It is grown without any use of herbicides/pesticides/fertilizer. It must be sun-dried to restore its good taste. Technology to grow spirulina is easily accessible from CFTRI, Mysore. It is low cost investment business module that could be started in the area as small as an aquarium of 2 *1 feet to as big as 1 acre pond. “The cost is subject to variation with the quantity produced and technology used. On an average a commercially viable pond for producing spirulina is 20*30 feet area. It is a profitable business as production is natural process that doesn’t require any detailed or constant monitoring. If the grower diligently follows the guidelines offered by CFTRI it is more than sufficient. To enhance the revenues value addition is must! Growers can process spirulina into tablets, capsules and granules. Once again the processing technique is simple and low investment,” he clarifies.
Raw spirulina and its processed products have a good shelf life of 2 years. Tablets, capsules and granules can be stored in the air tight packing but raw spirulina should be protected from the sunlight and air exposure. “It must be stored in an opaque pack sealed tightly,” he adds.
Selling is the most crucial part of spirulina business. “Due to low awareness on spirulina benefits, inspite of being nutrient rich there is not much demand of the product. In the nutshell the cost and labour of producing spirulina is not a matter of concern but selling is the only vital area of focus. Anyone who plans to produce spirulina is strongly recommended to first and foremost identify the market and must seal the selling deal with the buyers before production,” opines Mr. Mahesh.
Mr. Mahesh is selling his products all across Karnataka state through the CSR projects initiated by corporate. “I supply spirulina free of cost to orphanages. In addition I sell the products to the end user at premium price as malnutrition even exists in urban India. As per the survey 40% is urban malnutrition while 45% is rural malnutrition. It implies if awareness is created on spirulina as the solution to eradicate malnutrition in India the prospects are extremely promising,” he informs. His vision is to make India malnutrition free through spirulina.
“During my college days at PESIT, Bengaluru, I came across several children suffering from malnutrition. This undernourishment can adversely affect the mental growth of the child! Desperate to provide the dietary supplement to these children I found the solution in spirulina. It is the claimed to be the future food of planet earth. To get the technical expertise to grow and process spirulina I approached CFTRI Mysore. They extended all possible help to me. I took up growing and processing spirulina as full time profession,” Mr. Mahesh shares the drive to establish Spirulina Foundation.
He concludes saying, “I want to take this fight with malnutrition at national level. If more people join this movement the efforts would multiply and nation would be free from undernourishment much sooner. It is crucial to grow spirulina and spread awareness on its benefits!”
Contact details:
Spirulina Foundation
2nd Main, 4th Cross, Srinagar, Kyathsandra, Tumkur, Bengaluru-572104, Karnataka, India
Mobile: 08904456566
Email: rmaheshv@gmail.com
“Growing spirulina is not at all difficult but selling is the biggest problem because more than 95% Indians are unaware of the vital micronutrients and protein content present in spirulina,” says Mr. Mahesh RV, Founder, Spirulina Foundation. It was started in 2010 at Tumkur, Bengaluru. Every month on an average 300 kg spirulina is grown and processed into capsules, tablets and granules at the company.
Mr. Mahesh RV
Spirulina is blue green algae produced in water after adding mother culture along with sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, urea, potassium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, phosphoric acid and ferrous sulphate. “The ratio of mother culture and other ingredients varies with respect to the quantity of spirulina to be grown and time duration. For example if 1 kg of culture is mixed in 10 liter of water then in just one day time spirulina is produced while when 1 kg culture is mixed in 100 liter or 1000 liter water then it is produced in 4 days or 30 days respectively,” he shares.
It needs highly alkaline pH water and good quality of spirulina culture. It is grown without any use of herbicides/pesticides/fertilizer. It must be sun-dried to restore its good taste. Technology to grow spirulina is easily accessible from CFTRI, Mysore. It is low cost investment business module that could be started in the area as small as an aquarium of 2 *1 feet to as big as 1 acre pond. “The cost is subject to variation with the quantity produced and technology used. On an average a commercially viable pond for producing spirulina is 20*30 feet area. It is a profitable business as production is natural process that doesn’t require any detailed or constant monitoring. If the grower diligently follows the guidelines offered by CFTRI it is more than sufficient. To enhance the revenues value addition is must! Growers can process spirulina into tablets, capsules and granules. Once again the processing technique is simple and low investment,” he clarifies.
Raw spirulina and its processed products have a good shelf life of 2 years. Tablets, capsules and granules can be stored in the air tight packing but raw spirulina should be protected from the sunlight and air exposure. “It must be stored in an opaque pack sealed tightly,” he adds.
Selling is the most crucial part of spirulina business. “Due to low awareness on spirulina benefits, inspite of being nutrient rich there is not much demand of the product. In the nutshell the cost and labour of producing spirulina is not a matter of concern but selling is the only vital area of focus. Anyone who plans to produce spirulina is strongly recommended to first and foremost identify the market and must seal the selling deal with the buyers before production,” opines Mr. Mahesh.
Mr. Mahesh is selling his products all across Karnataka state through the CSR projects initiated by corporate. “I supply spirulina free of cost to orphanages. In addition I sell the products to the end user at premium price as malnutrition even exists in urban India. As per the survey 40% is urban malnutrition while 45% is rural malnutrition. It implies if awareness is created on spirulina as the solution to eradicate malnutrition in India the prospects are extremely promising,” he informs. His vision is to make India malnutrition free through spirulina.
“During my college days at PESIT, Bengaluru, I came across several children suffering from malnutrition. This undernourishment can adversely affect the mental growth of the child! Desperate to provide the dietary supplement to these children I found the solution in spirulina. It is the claimed to be the future food of planet earth. To get the technical expertise to grow and process spirulina I approached CFTRI Mysore. They extended all possible help to me. I took up growing and processing spirulina as full time profession,” Mr. Mahesh shares the drive to establish Spirulina Foundation.
He concludes saying, “I want to take this fight with malnutrition at national level. If more people join this movement the efforts would multiply and nation would be free from undernourishment much sooner. It is crucial to grow spirulina and spread awareness on its benefits!”
Contact details:
Spirulina Foundation
2nd Main, 4th Cross, Srinagar, Kyathsandra, Tumkur, Bengaluru-572104, Karnataka, India
Mobile: 08904456566
Email: rmaheshv@gmail.com