From Unemployment to Entrepreneurial Success:Ashish Gautam Built ₹5 Crore Agribusiness Empire

Sirmaur, Mar 28: In a world where many young people chase government jobs, Ashish Gautam of Chamoda village, Pachhad Tehsil, Sirmaur district, has carved his own path to success. By leveraging state government schemes and blending passion with determination, he has built a thriving agricultural and allied business that now generates an annual income of ₹5 crore. His journey is a testament to how a combination of government support, hard work, and innovation can turn dreams into reality.

In 2023, Ashish received a subsidy of ₹8.42 lakh from the Horticulture Department to build a 500-square-meter greenhouse. He planted 2,500 yellow and red bell pepper plants in March, yielding five tons of produce, which fetched him ₹7 lakh. Additionally, he grew cucumbers in the same greenhouse, earning ₹2 lakh by selling them at ₹20 per kilogram.

Recognizing the potential of floriculture, Ashish applied for the Pushp Kranti Yojana and received a ₹30,000 subsidy. He planted 500 lavender plants, capitalizing on the growing demand for lavender oil and sticks in the market.

With support from the Animal Husbandry Department, Ashish ventured into poultry farming. He was provided 50 chicks at ₹10 per chick in 2024. This yielded ₹30,000 from egg sales and ₹20,000 from chicken sales. The poultry waste was efficiently repurposed as fish feed in his fish farming business.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashish constructed two fish tanks—one with a capacity of 1.5 lakh liters and another with 60,000 liters. The government provided him with 5,000 fish seeds at ₹1 per seed. By June-July, he harvested one ton of fish, generating ₹1 lakh in revenue.

In 2023, he received a ₹1.36 lakh subsidy for 48 beekeeping boxes, producing 1.5 tons of honey. Selling the honey both online and at the She-Haat market in Kandaghat, he earned ₹5 lakh.

Ashish expanded into mushroom cultivation under the Khumb Vikas Yojana, receiving an ₹8 lakh subsidy for constructing a shed, a climate-controlled room, and compost procurement. Within a year, he produced 30 tons of mushrooms, generating ₹30 lakh in revenue. To store his perishable produce, he built a 1,200-square-foot cold storage facility with a ₹2.5 lakh subsidy and installed a borewell with a ₹1.03 lakh grant.

Ashish owns an apple orchard with 2,500 fruit-bearing trees of Gala, Jeromine, and Scarlet-2 varieties. Last year, he sold 200 crates of apples for ₹4 lakh in the Parwanoo market. The government also granted him ₹36,000 for installing an anti-hail net to protect his orchard.

He also manages a 5,000-plant apple nursery, selling saplings at ₹300 each, earning ₹15 lakh annually.

His 400-plant kiwi orchard yields an average of 60 kg per plant. This year, he produced 20 tons of kiwis, earning ₹19 lakh. Under the Kiwi Promotion Scheme, he received a ₹5.5 lakh subsidy. His ambitious goal is to prepare one lakh kiwi saplings by December, expecting a revenue of ₹1.5 crore at ₹150 per plant.

Ashish’s multi-faceted agribusiness now employs 10 to 12 workers, each earning ₹16,000–18,000 per month. His journey showcases the immense potential of agriculture and allied sectors when combined with government support and entrepreneurial spirit.

Ashish urges unemployed youth to shift their focus from government jobs to self-employment through agriculture and horticulture. He credits the state government and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for implementing schemes that empower individuals to become self-sufficient.

His story is a powerful example of how determination, smart utilization of subsidies, and innovative farming techniques can create sustainable livelihoods, boost the rural economy, and inspire a new generation of agripreneurs.