KOCHI: When the allure of nature combines with the simplicity of farm life, the result is the birth of a new type of business venture that brings a smile not only to the entrepreneur but also to the customer. Who doesn’t crave to be far from the madding crowd? The answer is everyone. And many smart entrepreneurs have utilised this tendency to set up successful businesses associated with the tourism industry.
Homestays have been a steady form of revenue source for many people, especially in the coastal areas. However, another form of business combining farming and homestay is quickly becoming the in thing not only among the domestic but also international tourists.
According to Martin P J, general manager, Green Land Farmhouses at Nelliampathy in Palakkad, the business model has been very profitable. “These are the days when farming alone doesn’t bring in revenue. So, many people who own farms are converting them into farmstays. It is something similar to farmhouses. The only difference is the entire infrastructure has been developed to cater to the needs of tourists,” he said.
“However, the trend is yet to catch up and it is estimated there might be around 10 to 15 operating farmstays in the state,” said Martin, who is also an executive member of Koottayma Nelliampathy Resort Association. According to him, Green Land Farmhouses is owned by a private company called Green Acres Estate Pvt Ltd. “The company is owned by four individuals. The farmstay at Nelliampathy is set up on 603 acres and was launched using an initial capital of Rs 15 lakh,” he said.
“It was launched as an alternative to plantation cultivation after prices of agricultural produce, including rubber and spices, fell. We had a lot of labourers and they would have lost their means of livelihood. So, it was decided to convert the plantation into a farmstay which would give the visitor a complete experience of living in a plantation and getting close to the process of cultivation,” he said.
According to him, today the resort attracts around 1,000 to 2,000 visitors per month and has turned profitable in the past four to five years. “Most of the visitors we get are North Indians, international tourists and also Keralites,” he added.“Instead of giving up on farming, people who have big plantations can take up this business model and convert their losses into profits. Since the resort doesn’t have to get resources like food and beverages from outside, the entire enterprise is profitable,” he said. And if the farmstay is located at a scenic place like a hill station, it gets the bonus point, he said.
Joe Jose Kynadi, owner, Vayal Veedu, a farmstay in Wayanad, agrees with Martin. “People, especially the younger generation living in the cities, don’t know how the food they eat arrives on their plates. So, farmstays serve as a fun knowledge centre where they can understand the process associated with agriculture,” he said. According to him, Vayal Veedu has been built keeping in mind the international clientele.
“It has been proven again and again that farming alone won’t give back the expected returns. Also, setting up a resort in a place like Wayanad where it rains for nearly six months a year is not viable. People from European countries arrive in the country in search of sun and beach. So, in order to attract them to Wayanad, which has a lot of tourism potential albeit untapped, we need to package it accordingly,” he said. So, Joe decided to combine farming with a resort. “The aim was to give the tourists a peek into the traditional farming practices of the state. Our farmstay is located inside a valley surrounded by lush and dense forest,” he said.
“Vayal Veedu is designed in the fashion of a plantation bungalow with numerous acknowledgements to contemporary design and decor. The bungalow is set at the foot of a hillock. The farmstay is set beside a 10-acre paddy plantation and bordered on three sides by hillocks,” he said. “The interesting thing about staying at Vayal Veedu is that the tourists get to take part in every aspect of farming. They get to eat the food prepared from the harvest they have brought in from the fields,” he said.
According to him, the prospects of farmstay as a business model are very good in the state. “I attended a meet in Berlin, where the concept was very well received and many people enthused their interest in visiting,” he said. Joe is planning to expand the project and will soon be bringing in a dairy and poultry farm.
According to N K Kurian, owner of Mango Meadows, the realisation that farmers can get good money selling their produce directly made him set up the farm resort and theme park at Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam. “When a farmer sells a kilo of pearl spot (karimeen), all he gets is a paltry Rs 250 or Rs 350. The very same fish with just the addition of a bit of spices is sold by hotels at a rate starting from Rs 450 to Rs 1,000 per fish.
So, why bear the cost of farming and selling the produce at a loss when we can set up a facility in one of our farms that will not only bring revenue for the farmers but will also be a delight for visitors?” said Kurian, who now runs a profitable venture with returns of more than Rs 15 lakh per month.