This Palakkad farmer makes lakhs from mixed farming on 3.5 acres of land

Palakkad: From organic mixed farming to value-added product sales and farm equipment rentals, income flows to Thenariyil Ramachandran from many sources. A native of Elappully, Ramachandran doesn’t own vast plantations or cash crops. All he has is a house and 3.5 acres of land around it. But on this modest plot—which includes both paddy fields and dry land—his venture, Araya Farm, is thriving. Acting as both farmer and entrepreneur, Ramachandran proved that it’s possible to earn a sustainable income from a small landholding.

Each year, Araya Farm earns:

• ₹4 lakh from 200 coconut trees
• ₹2.5 lakh from 500 areca nut palms
• ₹3 lakh from 150 pepper plants
• ₹1.5 lakh from ginger
• ₹2 lakh from plantains
• ₹1 lakh from fish farming

This is in addition to paddy and flower cultivation, which further boosts the annual income. Believing that traditional farming alone offers limited profit, Ramachandran processes every crop into value-added products before taking them to market. Today, he sells nearly 30 varieties of products, including turmeric powder, rice flakes, rice powder, finger millet items, black gram seeds, curd, and sun-dried goods.

Ramachandran is not just a cultivator—he’s a skilled operator of agricultural machinery. His income is further enhanced by renting out his services. ₹12 lakh annually by planting paddy in nearly 600 acres (₹2,000 per acre), ₹3 lakh from tractor rentals and ₹5 lakh from harvester services. He has also developed his own machines, including grass and tapioca cutters that avoid crop damage, low-cost cleaning machines for turmeric and ginger and a protective fencing system to deter wild animals. One such invention—a ginger and turmeric cleaning machine—won him the Innovative Farmer Award.

Herbal paddy varieties
Ramachandran grows organic paddy varieties with medicinal properties, such as Athur Kichili, Samba, and Arubatham Kuruvai (low glycemic index, high antioxidants). Karuppu Kavuni, a black rice known for its health benefits, Thooyamalli, a rich in iron, calcium, and phosphorus. Arubatham Kuruvai which matures in just 60 days, is particularly suited for water-scarce regions.

Livestock integration and sustainability
The Araya model is built on integrated farming. Ramachandran rears Vechur cows, Kangayam oxen, goats, ducks, hens, rabbits, and carp fish. Innovatively, poultry cages and rabbit enclosures are placed above the fish pond, allowing animal waste to fertilise the water, which is then used for irrigation.

Additionally, his farm is sectioned using bio-fencing with plants like Karinochi (Chinese chaste tree), Chembarathi (hibiscus), Chendumalli (marigold) and Seemakonna (Gliricidia sepium). Among these, Karinochi leaves, valued for their medicinal properties, are sold to pharmaceutical companies. Last season, he sold 2,000 kg of Karinochi leaves and continues to earn by selling rooted saplings.