The farmers of Punjab have always been known to have the entrepreneurial gene. And now, the ones in the Doaba region are spearheading a new ‘green revolution’. Not content with just cultivating crops, this new breed of entrepreneur-farmers have diversified into setting up and running restaurants and retail outlets. Some of them are even creating their own brands under which they are selling their farm produce.
An example is Jaswinder Singh Sangha – a potato grower from Jalandhar – who has become the authorised franchisee of the Subway outlet in the city. Another member of his extended family (also in the potato business) has recently set up a unit in Jalandhar which makes French fries and supplies it to several top food chains including McDonald’s.
Mr Sangha said, ‘Of late, the Punjabi farmer is facing flak for being stuck in a time wrap. We have been hauled over the coals for getting into a debt trap and persisting with the wheat-rice crop cycle. But, I think that’s being unfair to us. We are a progressive lot and are open to changes. We saw business opportunity in restaurants, food processing and the retail field and now want to make the most of it.’
One distinct advantage these players have is the availability of land. International companies which are keen on opening their outlets in the region often face problems with the of availability of suitable plots of land. Purchasing the land or taking it on rent/lease is a very expensive proposition with rates often touching stratospheric levels. Hence they enter into franchisee agreements with farmers who already own the land.
Besides Subway, another example is that of McDonald’s.
No comments yet.