In 2019, the Company was founded with Balasaheb Solankure Patil as its Chairman and Managing Director. Patil hails from Bhudargad in Kolhapur district and is currently based in Pune. The company boasts of five directors and 405 members, with 70 percent of the members being farmers from Pune, Kolhapur, and other regions.
Due to awareness of Organic farming gaining popularity day by day. With its adequate healthy soil ecosystem, organic farmers can enhance the nutrient content of their crops and reduce the need for external inputs.
Bhudargarh Natural Farmers Producer Company’ at Bhivari (Purandar) in Pune as started the company with group of collective farmers from Pune and Kolhapur area with 405 members with clear objective to build the infrastructure and procurement system from cultivation to sales and export.
In order to encourage the production of chemical-free and exportable fruits and vegetables, the Bhudargarh Company is providing incentives. To accomplish this, the company has formed groups of more then 20 plus farmers based on the specific crops they grow, including figs, pomegranates, bananas, guavas, grapes, and cilantro. Once these farmers are empowered, further groups will be established at the village and cluster levels. The chairman of the company himself takes the initiative to guide the members in organic farming and certification, with the assistance of various experts.
During the coronavirus period, the sale of goods produced by member farmers to residential societies in Pune and Mumbai has proven to be highly successful. This success can be attributed to the network of experts who provide essential technical assistance in organic farming, marketing, and sales. As a result, the turnover reached an impressive 9 lakhs. The company has set up a system or chain to provide customers with good quality, selected chemical free grains, vegetables, fruits, processed agricultural produce. For this, godowns have been taken on lease at Kunjirwadi and Khed Shivapur (T. Haveli, Dist. Pune). At that place cleaning, grading and packing of especially coarse grains (millets) taken from members and non-members takes place with the help of self group members providing distubution of millets directly to residental society members.For its export facility center they have introduced facilities such as 30 ton capacity packhouse, six ton capacity precooling, 50 ton capacity cold storage is being set up at Bhivari (Purandar), District Pune under the smart project with a fund of Rs. 80 percent of its construction has been completed. A grant of Rs 53 lakh has been given under ‘Smart’, while a loan of Rs 20 lakh has been taken under ‘AIF’ scheme through Back of Maharashtra with some support of members through shares.Some funds have been raised through members’ ‘shares’. In addition a small amount of okra, tondli, shevga, figs and mangoes etc. goods have been exported to Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore by air for four years. There are two exports of 1300 kg each in a month. Efforts are underway to run this facility on solar energy.In addition to his efforts in agriculture, Balasaheb Patil, the company chairman, is also dedicated to promoting agricultural tourism. He has previously conducted training classes for farmers and farmer companies, providing guidance and support for the development of this sector. Furthermore, he has taken steps to establish an agri-tourism institute, offering training programs to ensure the growth and success of this industry.The company has maintained the characteristic number of degree-post-graduate or higher education in the field of agriculture or science. At the same time, there are progressive and studious farmers like Shashikant Bhor and Lahu Poman in the company. The focus of the company is more on women directors. The company has awarded the 2019 Krishi Bhushan Award of the Ahilya Devi Agricultural Research Institute. A Special Honor Award in 2020 at the International Food Festival (Dubai) by the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Mumbai. His efforts have been successful in providing agricultural entrepreneurs, agricultural companies with sales platforms in Dubai, Turkey, Indonesia, Mauritius. The company has taken part in the ‘Food Festival’ in Malaysia. Through his tireless efforts, he has accomplished great success in providing agricultural entrepreneurs and companies with exceptional sales opportunities in Dubai, Turkey, Indonesia, and Mauritius. Furthermore, the company has actively engaged in the prestigious ‘Food Festival’ held in Malaysia.