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  • Story

·

4 min read

Raw Crop to Branded Powder: Savita’s Turmeric Story

Haldav Village, Loha Block, Nanded District, Maharashtra
Agro-processing
Savita Kashinath Shinde in her turmeric field in Haldav village.

Savita Kashinath Shinde, 32, a farmer from Haldav village, moved from selling raw turmeric to processing it into branded powder — and a more stable income for her family of 12.

  • The Challenge

Savita’s family of 12, spanning three generations with six members farming full-time, had cultivated soybean and turmeric for years, relying heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Over time, this pushed up production costs while steadily degrading the soil — a familiar story in Haldav, a rain-fed village of 351 households where water turns scarce every summer.

  • The Turning Point

Savita adopted Jeevamrut for soil nutrition and Dashparni Ark as an eco-friendly pest control, along with yellow, blue, and pheromone traps to manage pests without chemicals. She began producing her own vermicompost, moving her farm step by step toward fully organic practices. She then took it further, processing her turmeric harvest into powder and selling it in branded packets rather than as raw produce.

Sticky pest trap in Savita field
A sticky pest trap in Savita’s field, part of her chemical-free pest management.
  • The Change

Production costs came down, soil fertility improved, and her dependence on chemical inputs dropped sharply. The shift to branded turmeric powder significantly boosted her family’s income, enabling better education and healthcare for her children and greater financial stability at home. Savita has since become a reference point for other farmers, several of whom have visited her farm to learn firsthand.

Outcomes at a glance
Inputs adopted
Jeevamrut, Dashparni Ark, vermicompost
Pest control
sticky & pheromone traps, chemical-free
Product shift
raw turmeric to branded powder
Family
12 members, 6 in farming full-time
Impact
better education & healthcare for children
Turmeric powder processing unit
The turmeric powder processing and branding unit, launched with local officials.
“Processing turmeric into powder and selling it in branded packets has increased my income and given me confidence.”
– Savita Kashinath Shinde
  • Looking Ahead

From a family managing rising costs and declining soil health, the Shindes are now seen as agri-entrepreneurs in their own community.

More stories from the field

Read how communities across the tribal belt are building new livelihoods.

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  • Story

·

4 min read

Fallow No More: Aghanmoti’s Rabi Harvest

Aghanmoti Rathia’s one acre used to lie fallow every Rabi season. This year it grew groundnut, sunflower, greens, and gourd.

Read the story
  • Story

·

4 min read

From Loss to Livelihood: Bimla’s Goat Enterprise

Bimla Rathia had given up goat rearing after disease wiped out her herd. Training and support rebuilt it into her family’s most reliable income.

Read the story
  • Story

·

4 min read

From Paddy to Profit: Ram Pyari’s Watermelon Story

Ram Pyari once earned about ₹23,040 a year growing paddy. Within one watermelon season, she nearly matched that in profit alone.

Read the story
  • Story

·

4 min read

Fallow No More: Aghanmoti’s Rabi Harvest

Aghanmoti Rathia’s one acre used to lie fallow every Rabi season. This year it grew groundnut, sunflower, greens, and gourd.

Read the story
  • Story

·

4 min read

From Loss to Livelihood: Bimla’s Goat Enterprise

Bimla Rathia had given up goat rearing after disease wiped out her herd. Training and support rebuilt it into her family’s most reliable income.

Read the story
  • Story

·

4 min read

From Paddy to Profit: Ram Pyari’s Watermelon Story

Ram Pyari once earned about ₹23,040 a year growing paddy. Within one watermelon season, she nearly matched that in profit alone.

Read the story
See all stories