By Chandran Iyer
When you drive through the rich, green landscapes of Nashik in Maharashtra, dotted with vineyards and orchards, you’re not just looking at fertile land—you’re witnessing the fruits of a quiet revolution. A revolution sparked by one man, Vilas Vishnu Shinde, whose vision has turned Sahyadri Farms into India’s largest and most successful horticulture Farmer Producer Company (FPC). From a humble grape farmer to the Chairman and Managing Director of a ₹1,950 crore agri-enterprise, Shinde’s journey is a powerful example of purpose-driven leadership, farmer empowerment, and inclusive growth.
The Seeds of Change
Born into a small farming family in Nashik, Shinde was no stranger to the challenges of rural agriculture. He saw firsthand how hardworking farmers were shackled by middlemen, market volatility, and lack of infrastructure. “Despite all their efforts, farmers could barely make ends meet,” he recalls. “I knew if something didn’t change, agriculture would become an unviable livelihood.”
Armed with a postgraduate degree in Agricultural Engineering, Shinde set out not just to improve his own fortunes but to uplift the lives of fellow farmers. In school he was weak in biology but strong in mathematics and hence he opted to pursue agricultural engineering. He was also fond of nature.
Vilas said “This affinity for the outdoors naturally sparked an interest in agriculture, as it allowed me to stay connected with the natural world. Coming from a farming community, I chose to pursue agricultural engineering—a field that beautifully blends my academic strengths with my passion for nature”.
In 2004, he took a leap of faith and brought together grape growers from his village to become a grape grower Exporter. This informal alliance sowed the seeds of what would later become Sahyadri Farms. Shinde played a pivotal role in transforming the fragmented and unorganized farming sector by bringing together small and marginal farmers under a unified, structured ecosystem. His visionary leadership helped empower farmers through collective ownership, better market access, and improved bargaining power. By organizing farmer groups into cohesive producer companies, he laid the foundation for a more equitable and sustainable agricultural model.”
Early Failures, Unshaken Resolve
Mr. Shinde’s journey as an agri-entrepreneur began as early as his college days. While studying at the agricultural university, he first experimented with sweet corn cultivation on leased land. Unfortunately, this initial attempt failed, giving him an early taste of failure in farming during his youth.
After graduating, instead of pursuing a conventional job as his family wished, he resolutely decided to chase his dream of building an agriculture-based enterprise. He set out firmly on this challenging path — yet, at every step, he encountered only setbacks.
Together with a few friends, he ventured into the dairy business, which too collapsed quickly, leaving them with a debt of ₹75 lakh. At that time, he was only 25 years old. To overcome this debt, he decided to enter grape exports, joined by nine farmers.
In their very first year, 2004, they exported four containers of grapes to the Netherlands. However, the buyer rejected the consignment citing quality issues. Determined to understand the exact reasons behind this rejection, Vilas Shinde personally traveled to the Netherlands — his first-ever international trip. Upon reaching, he discovered the precise shortcomings in the shipment.
The following year, he once again shipped four containers, which were rejected too. However, insurance mitigated some of the losses. From then onwards, he identified and meticulously addressed the gaps in the supply chain. With each passing year, his efforts began to bear fruit, and by 2009, they had surpassed 150 containers in exports.
Yet, another major crisis struck: traces of a pesticide banned by the European Union were found in Indian grapes. Consequently, all Indian grape consignments were rejected that year. In reality, the fault lay with government agencies — it was their responsibility to inform farmers not to use that particular pesticide.
This mishap caused substantial losses for grape growers. During this period, many exporters refused to pay the farmers. However, Vilas Shinde stood apart — he sold his own land to pay farmers nearly ₹6 crore. While many businesses withdrew from grape exports, Vilas Shinde persevered.
This journey helped him to understand the harsh reality. Farming is not easy—the challenges are enormous. It’s tempting to walk away and choose a different path. But what about the farming community that continues to struggle? he didn’t want to run away. Instead, he chose to face the challenges head-on and work toward making a meaningful difference in the lives of farmers.
He says “Every business has its challenges, but for farmers, the odds are steeper — they battle forces beyond their control. Be it unpredictable weather or the volatile dance of market demand and supply, a farmer’s fate often hangs on factors he cannot influence.”
Birth of Sahyadri Farms
In 2011, Sahyadri Farms was officially formed as a Farmer Producer Company (FPC) — a business model inspired by the success of Amul, where farmers are not just producers, but also shareholders and decision-makers. Commercial operations began in 2011-12 with grape exports as the core business.
“We wanted to create a system where farmers own the entire value chain—from the farm to the global market,” says Shinde. “It was about more than revenue. It was about dignity, sustainability, and empowerment.”
From Grapes to a Green Empire
From its modest beginning, Sahyadri Farms has grown into a powerhouse. Today, more than 26,000+ farmers across 40,000+ acres are part of the Sahyadri ecosystem. The company has built crop-specific integrated value chains for a wide range of horticulture produce, including grapes, mangoes, bananas, pomegranates, tomatoes, sweetcorn, oranges, cashews, and more.
A cornerstone of this success is its ultra-modern agri-infrastructure ecosystem, comprising a 120-acre campus in Mohadi, Dindori, and a 50-acre citrus processing facility in Krushnoor, Nanded. With a combined daily handling capacity of 3,500 metric tonnes, this integrated infrastructure includes advanced packhouses, cold storage units, processing plants, solar dehydration units, Skill Development Center, and agro-advisory services. It also features sustainable waste management systems such as biogas plants and microalgae-based wastewater treatment, all supported by a robust technology backbone that ensures efficiency, transparency, and traceability across the agri-value chain.
“We realized that post-harvest losses are not just food waste—they’re a waste of human effort, time, investment, and scarce resources like water,” says Shinde. “So we built a system to minimize these losses and maximize value.”
Built by Farmers, for Farmers
What sets Sahyadri Farms apart is its farmer-owned model. Unlike private agri-businesses that often exploit smallholders, Sahyadri’s structure ensures that the wealth created stays with the growers themselves. Each member farmer is a shareholder in the company, participating in profits and having a say in governance.
“Alone, a farmer can do very little. But together, we can do so much,” says Shinde, echoing his core belief in collective action.
Sahyadri has also promoted 61 farmer producer companies (FPCs) across specific horticulture crops and regions, creating an ecosystem of knowledge sharing, skill-building, and scale.
Crossing the ₹1,000 Crore Mark
In FY 2024-25, Sahyadri Farms recorded a turnover of 1950 crore, growing 28% year-on-year. Of this, ₹572.55 crore came from exports and ₹1377.45 crore from domestic sales. The product mix was evenly split between fresh produce (35%) and processed goods (65%).
Key processing volumes include:
- Tomato: 1,56,052 MT
- Grapes: 37,117 MT
- Mango: 14,498 MT
- Banana: 23,231 MT
- Sweetcorn: 17,084 MT
- Pomegranate: 15,624 MT
- Citrus: 1,03,060 MT
- Other Fruits and Vegetables: 9,209 MT
The company has invested over ₹624.5crore in infrastructure, created 1400 full-time and 4000 seasonal jobs, and built reserves of ₹370.47 crore. Its share capital stands at ₹55.68 crore, reflecting strong farmer participation.
“In 2012, we had a turnover of just ₹13 crore,” Shinde says. “Crossing ₹1,950 crore felt like a dream—but it was a dream we worked hard to make real.
Sahyadri Farms is now India’s largest grape exporter and a leader in tomato processing. But its reputation rests not just on volume, but on quality and transparency. The company adheres to global standards in food safety, traceability, and sustainability. It caters to international markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The trust it has built with both farmers and consumers is central to its success. “Our model removes unnecessary middlemen, improves logistics, and reduces losses,” Shinde says. “That way, farmers earn more, and consumers get better value.”
Inspired by Gandhian philosophy
He was deeply inspired by Gandhiji’s philosophy: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” This belief—that true change begins with transforming ourselves, our thoughts, and embracing purity and transparency—forms the core of our organization’s values.
“That’s why our company’s tagline is “Seeding Goodness.” It’s more than a slogan; it reflects our commitment to empowering farmers and delivering high-quality, traceable produce. As a Farmer Producer Company, we are proud to be owned and managed by the farmers themselves—ensuring that those who nurture the soil also shape the future” says Vilas.
Sustainability at the Core
Shinde and his team believe that for Indian agriculture to thrive, holistic transformation is essential. That includes interventions in productivity, input cost control, post-harvest management, market access, and financial inclusion.
“Our current agri-system is broken. Temporary fixes won’t work,” he says. “We must offer complete and sustainable solutions.”
To this end, Sahyadri works closely with banks, provides agri-advisory services, facilitates digital monitoring, and supports farmers with modern techniques in climate-resilient farming.
Replicating the Dairy Revolution in Horticulture
Just like Amul revolutionized India’s dairy sector, Shinde believes it’s time for horticulture to take the spotlight.
“We have been dedicatedly fostering the growth of the horticulture value chain for the past 15 years. Now it has reached a pivotal juncture,” he says. “Much like the nation’s commendable global presence in the dairy sector, we are striving to replicate this success in horticulture.”
“What Amul is to milk, we aspire to become in horticulture.” The only difference lies in the community and the produce. While Amul focused on milk in Gujarat, where dairy farming was abundant, our strength lies in grapes — a high-potential opportunity in our region”, he added.Bottom of Form
His call to action is clear: “There is ample opportunity for collaboration within the agriculture sector. With unwavering commitment and a clear direction, we can build a better future for rural India.”
The Road Ahead
Sahyadri Farms is not resting on its laurels. The company is now exploring new crop integrations, consumer products, and expansion into digital agri-platforms to further empower farmers and connect with end-consumers.
Its long-term goal is to build a farmer-owned enterprise — the first publicly listed company of its kind — that empowers Indian smallholders to compete globally, while ensuring food security and delivering high-quality produce to consumers.
Conclusion: The Man Who Dared to Dream
Vilas Shinde’s story is not just about building a successful business. It’s about building hope, ownership, and prosperity in India’s most vulnerable communities. By turning smallholders into shareholders, and local produce into global exports, he has redefined what rural leadership looks like.
“I’m just a farmer,” Shinde says modestly. “But I had a dream—and I was lucky to find thousands of others who believed in it too.”
In an era where agrarian distress often dominates headlines, Sahyadri Farms stands as a beacon of what’s possible when vision, integrity, and collective effort come together.
His journey is a powerful reminder that purpose-driven leadership, when grounded in empathy and innovation, can transform entire ecosystems. Sahyadri Farms is more than a business—it is a grassroots revolution that places farmers at the center of India’s agri-value chain. As the company now forays into processing, retail, and technology integration, it stands as a living model for how inclusive capitalism can uplift rural India. For every farmer dreaming of freedom from exploitation and every entrepreneur seeking impact beyond profits, Sahyadri is both a roadmap and a beacon.
