A women’s self-help group in Shahapur, Bidar district, has transformed local sorghum into a steady income stream, demonstrating the impact of small-scale agro-processing in rural India. The Kanakadas women’s group set up a sorghum processing unit in 2021 with support from the horticulture department. The unit now generates roughly ₹12,000 a month, or about ₹1.44 lakh a year, for the group.
Sorghum processing India drives local income
The group buys sorghum directly from farmers, cleans and processes the grain, and packs it in half-kilogram, one-kilogram, five-kilogram and ten-kilogram packets. They sell the product across Bidar in local markets, fairs, festivals and melas. Demand has been rising, with customers contacting the unit for quality sorghum.
Renuka Gopal Malkapure, president of the Kanakadas women’s self-help group, said the unit currently produces about 1.5 quintals of processed sorghum a day. “We started with hand-cutting and drying machines and managed 20 to 50 kilograms a day. Income from the unit and the group’s savings enabled us to buy an automatic cutting machine,” she said. The automation has increased capacity and reduced manual labour.
The group classifies sorghum into three quality grades. First-grade sorghum sells at ₹850 per kilogram, second-grade at ₹720 and third-grade at ₹650. Packaging and graded pricing allow the unit to reach different customer segments and improve margins. Members report that steady sales at local events and markets have made the venture economically viable.
The Kanakadas self-help group was formed 15 years ago and comprises 12 members. Each member contributes weekly savings of ₹20. The group lends to members in need and distributes income among members every five years. Over four years, the sorghum processing unit has returned around ₹6 lakh to the group, according to statements from the local panchayat CEO, Dr Girish Badole.
Support from the horticulture department was pivotal. In 2021 the group constructed a shed in Shahapur and established the processing unit with official assistance. The combination of government support, modest savings and revenue reinvestment led to the purchase of mechanised equipment and a clear plan to expand capacity further.
Looking ahead, the group intends to buy higher-capacity automatic cutting machinery to increase daily output. Greater capacity would allow them to meet larger orders, expand into nearby districts and improve economies of scale. The unit’s success has prompted calls from local officials for other self-help groups to explore similar income-generating activities.
The Bidar project illustrates how targeted support and simple technology upgrades can convert traditional cropping systems into value-added enterprises. For the Kanakadas group, sorghum processing has provided not only income but also economic independence for its members, creating a template that could be replicated across rural communities in India.
Key Takeaways:
- Sorghum processing India initiative in Shahapur, Bidar, has turned a women’s self-help group into an income-generating enterprise.
- The Kanakadas women’s group produces and packs sorghum for local markets, fairs and festivals, earning roughly ₹12,000 a month or about ₹1.44 lakh a year.
- Upgrades from manual to automatic cutting machinery raised daily output to 150 kg and enabled diversified packaging from 0.5 kg to 10 kg.
- Local government support and group savings helped establish the unit, which has returned around ₹6 lakh over four years.
