Josemon Jacob who won the recent local body elections from ward ten in Paikad at Marangattuppally panchayat in Kottayam, Kerala, had made headlines even in the national media. The young farmer and entrepreneur who contested as a UDF candidate was selected as the best young farmer in the state in 2022. He had won the award for the college student who has excelled in agriculture. Josemon was the only farmer from the district who won the prestigious state award that year.

Josemon, the young farmer

It was in 2016 that a dryer was installed in Josemon’s house at Mannakkanad in Kottayam. The machine was installed to dry nutmeg, coconut and coco that were cultivated in the 10 acres of land owned by the family. Slowly, people in the neighbourhood too recognized the advantage of the dryer at Josemon’s Edathadathil House. Many sought the service of this dryer to instantly turn 100 coconuts into copra and to dry ripe bananas. It was around this time that a unique idea clicked in the head of Josemon who was a plus two student. He presented the scope of turning the drying process into a successful business venture to his family. He proposed starting a drying unit that could dry the products for the customers while drying and selling their own products from the farm.

Josemon’s father Chackochan was impressed by his son’s excellent business pitch. He let Josemon use the shed close to the house and the dryer to start his business. However, the family faced the first hurdle in the form of a bank loan. The bank authorities stated that they cannot provide loans for a minor. Josemon was not ready to give up. He waited until he turned 18 and approached the bank again for a loan in 2020. Although the bank authorities weren’t fully convinced, they were surely impressed by the youngster’s enthusiasm.

Josemon availed the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme loan to kick-start his business venture. As the bank was unsure about the credibility of an 18-year-old, Josemon was allowed only ₹4 lakh against a pledge, instead of ₹7 lakh that he had applied for. With that amount he bought a dryer with a capacity of just 500 kg. He then purchased a small dryer when the number of customers approaching for drying their products increased. The drying business clicked and Josemon was able to get the asset that was pledged in the bank back as he didn’t falter in paying the loan instalment. Josemon proudly says that he closed the PMEGP loan last year without any arrears. Besides, he also bought a brand-new dryer of 1000 kg.

Going in full swing

From just one dryer in a small shed, Josemon now owns four dryers. In the beginning, only 150 kilos of products could be dried at a time. But now, up to 1500 – 2000 kilos of various agricultural products could be dried and processed here. Josemon first purchased a small dryer from the Green Guard company based in Anakkara, Kattapana. Later, he bought three more dryers from the same company. Different kinds of products could be dried in these machines at the same time. These driers mostly run on firewood and electricity as the main fuel.

In the beginning, coconuts were dried mostly in Josemon’s drying unit. Coconut farmers prefer dryers for good quality copra even during the summer season. However, now, tapioca has overtaken with large-scale tapioca farmers utilising the driers to make vaattu kaapa or partially-dried tapioca. Besides these, plantains, coco, nutmeg, bitter gourd, ivy gourd and meat are also dried using driers. Now, Josemon’s drying unit has become a public service centre where small-scale farmers in the locality rely on to turn their produce into value-added products. Meanwhile, women too use the driers to dry vegetables and turn them into crispy kondattams.

Foraying into other areas

Besides the drying unit, there is a pulveriser, roaster and an expeller at the mill owned by Josemon’s father near their house. People in the locality use this machinery to extract fresh coconut oil from dried copra and to powder the dried jackfruit and spices. Meanwhile, Josemon sells these value-added products made at their drying unit and mill under the brand JME.

His mother Mareena also prepares tasty kondattams with jackfruit and vegetables. Besides, the brand also sells home-made pickles and dried meat. JME special coffee powder, chili powder and coriander powder are some of the other products sold at the outlet close to their mill. The local residents often visit JME’s outlet to purchase fresh products while the brand takes online orders too. The online orders would be packed neatly and sent via courier to the customers.

Tons of agricultural products were dried and processed at Josemon’s drying unit last year. The unit was mostly used by tapioca farmers to make dried tapioca, which is a very popular dish. Lots of farmers relied on Josemon’s driers, especially when the price of tapioca dropped last year. The extremely profitable drying unit earned an impressive return of over Rs 25 lakh.

Josemon had spent around Rs 27 lakh in various stages to develop and add more machinery to his unit. He got financial aid and assistance from the Department of Industries under the PMEGP program. Moreover, the officers of Federal Bank as well as the Industries Department offer their wholehearted support to this young farmer and entrepreneur. Josemon also credits the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kumarakam and the Pala Social Service Society for their support and encouragement.