Starting Herb Farm in India
Answered by: Richard Alan Miller
Question from: Vinay
Posted on: February 8, 2001

I am from India and I want to start a herbs farm. What should be my initial steps towards that. I am from a business family with no knowledge about this thing but I am really interested in doing this work. Please guide me.

The first step to any successful business plan is to first determine what it is that you want to do. Obviously you want to become a farmer. Today that is not enough. You must have a plan or goal toward what you want to happen. I would recommend you start with my new book "Getting Started," found at www.herbfarminfo.com

This outlines the important aspects necessary for any business plan to be successful. It also outlines specific ways to establish your crop selections. But, before even this is done, it must be remembered that this industry is NOT a raw material supplier industry, but driven on cottage industries.

It is not the cheapest and best herbs grown that make money, but the consistent delivery of chemistry in some form of packaging. All those who make it in this industry do so via a product (like Indian Herbal Coffee). If the product is any good, the customer will come back for a second purchase. That is the ONLY way anyone makes a living in this industry.

The market is driven by availability. For example, you might produce an animal feed suppliment that causes a female dog to be more fertile for breeding. If the formula works, you will become successful. Of course, growing the material allows vertical integration and control of your quality (of chemistry delivered).

But, your money does not come from the quality of your farming, it comes from the delivery of your cottage industry. With that understanding, the selection of your crops is strictly based on your cottage industry idea. You must start with your idea, and that will dictate what crops yuou should cultivate, and which crops you should purchase from another source.

I can help you toward selecting a cottage industry idea, and then formulate a business plan around that. This is what I do under Farm Plans. First things first, however. Start with your idea on what the public might want in the way of something "new" for the industry. That then dictates what you can (and cannot) grow on your farm.

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