Rickshaw-puller takes to aloe vera farming, earns lakhs a month through exports

Shivani Bhakoo
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, October 2

When in 1988 Dharamvir from Haryana's Damla village came here from Delhi, where he used to pull a rickshaw to earn a livelihood, he had never thought that one day he would become a successful innovative farmer.

Today, he is into aloe vera farming and earns lakhs of rupees every month. Dharamvir makes aloe vera juice by crushing the peels in a machine which has been invented by him. He prepares a gel mixed with rose petals that is sold in the domestic market as well as abroad for skin problems including acne, pigmentation and blemishes.

Talking to The Tribune, Dharamvir, who had put up a stall at a regional-level exhibition at the Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), said: "This processing machine was invented by me after I visited Ajmer about 15 years back, where I saw persons making amla (Indian gooseberry) ladoos. I resolved to come up with a similar machine and succeeded in doing so.

"One machine costs about Rs 1.35 lakh. I have sold about 55 such machines. The state government provides subsidy on this machine", said Dharmvir. From about 150 quintals of aloe vera, Dharamvir makes 5,000 bottles of aloe vera juice and each bottle is sold for Rs 120.

From the peels, he makes a gel cream and one bottle is sold for Rs 80. "The entire process from sowing to harvesting takes about Rs 25,000. It is a highly profitable business", said Dharmvir with pride. 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111003/punjab.htm#8