Failed Bookseller from Rajasthan Starts Pearl Farming, Earns ₹9 Lakhs Annually

When Dr. Narendra Garwa was thrown away from his little bookshop by the landlord, he did not know what to do next as he had been deeply immersed in his bookselling business for long. Speaking exclusively with Startup Pedia, Garwa shared his journey from being a bookseller to becoming a pearl farmer.

Journey of a bookseller to becoming a pearl farmer

Dr. Garwa’s father was a school teacher, so, his upbringing was in a typical middle-class family. When he was out of work after the landlord took away his shop space, he started researching the internet to find something interesting to work on. Coming from a non-farming background, Garwa did not immediately think of doing any sort of farming right after he was out of the bookselling business. Without setting a goal, Garwa tried growing vegetables on the rooftop. However, he did not have an intention to practice agriculture.

After attempting different ways to earn his bread, Dr. Garwa found out on the internet that pearl farming was being practiced in India. On further research, he found the training for pearl farming was provided to farmers at ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Odisha. Keen on trying to learn the ropes, he went to the institute and began his training. In 2015, Garwa started his pearl farming business.  

However, the path had not been a smooth one. Initially, he had gone to Kerala to see for himself how pearl extraction was done.

Buying 500 pearl shells from Kerala, he returned home to Rajasthan to culture them. His family thought he was crazy for even trying to attempt pearl farming in a land with a severe scarcity of water. Only 35 of the 500 pearl shells were alive. Instead of being demotivated, he saw a ray of hope. If 35 could survive, so can 350, he thought. 

He tried the second time when 300 of the 500 pearl shells he had bought survived. Slowly, he managed to keep the shells in less water and maintain the pH balance. 

Gradually, he started earning profits. Now, his profits are roughly eight to nine lakhs per year. 

“Not everyone can be a pearl farmer, though. Not everyone has the patience to wait for two years to extract the pearls,” Narendra Garwa said in the interview. “If you want instant profit, this is not the thing you would want to do!”

How pearl farming is done & is it profitable?

In the exclusive interview with Startup Pedia, Dr. Garwa explained how pearl farming is done. The pearl shell has a life cycle of 7-8 years that yields pearls of different shapes. However, it would take about 12-18 months to make a spherical pearl. A non-spherical pearl would take less time about 12 months. Garwa produces both kinds of pearls but he insists the novice farmers start with non-spherical pearls.

He reasoned that the mortality rate of spherical pearls is much higher and it takes a lot of experience and patience to successfully produce them. He said that the market demand for non-spherical pearls is also good. The non-spherical pearls are cut by artisans and cost about fifty Rupees per pearl.  

Garwa said aspiring pearl farmers can start with a 10 × 12 feet pond layered with a plastic sheet. He stressed the balance of ammonia content in the water. The pH level should be maintained at 7-8. To achieve this, a water pump needs to be introduced to the pond to keep the water fresh. The pearl shells would feed on algae, so, it is necessary to maintain the pH of the water. If the shell is healthy, the pearl produced from it would have a better shine.

The seed is implanted manually inside the shell which is easily available in the market.  Garwa remarked that even if 500 pearl shells survive, a farmer can easily earn a profitable income.

Pearl Farmer runs an NGO

Garwa also runs an NGO called Alkha Foundation to provide training to aspiring pearl farmers. They run another program that charges farmers 4,000 rupees for training, equipment, and any further help. Also, they run health awareness programs for women farmers and distribute clothes to the needy by organizing camps all under the NGO.

“Rajasthani women farmers do not eat on time. They eat one square meal that too in midday. It takes a toll on their health and most of them suffer from anemia," Dr. Garwa said to Startup Pedia. "So, we run awareness programs to teach our women to eat on time and to take a nourishing diet twice a day.” 

In the beginning, Garwa did not know how to market the finished products. Gradually, he learned to make use of marketing platforms like India Mart and Amazon. As his business grew, individuals and even companies became his customers. Now, Garwa not only has an established pearl business but also helps other farmers through his foundation, https://www.alkhafoundation.org.in/.

The Alkha Foundation educates farmers across the country on pearl farming. It teaches farmers how they can carry pearl farming alongside fish farming. Garwa’s foundation aims to make farmers know how to reap profits. The pearl farmer explained that implanting the seed inside the pearl shell is an art and any wrong step can enhance the mortality rate of the shell. Garwa proudly said that his foundation imparts this “art” to the farmers.  

The foundation also runs another program that charges aspiring pearl farmers 4,000 rupees for training, equipment, and any further assistance.

Pearl Farmer’s awards & recognitions

Over the years Garwa had received many district-level awards and he was about to be awarded by CIFA, Odisha which got postponed due to the pandemic.

Pearls have huge demand in India. Garwa said if the government assists many unemployed farmers can be trained and turned into pearl farmers. Pearl agriculture can be easily done if farmers are trained enough. It does not even require changing water in the pond multiple times. Only 10-15% of the total water content in the pond needs to be changed every month.  

“Pearl farming does not need a lot of investment or resources,” Garwa explained. “One can start with 1000 pearl shells that would cost around 40 or 50 K and easily earn 3-4 L along with a part-time job. Yes, you can do some other job with this as pearl farming hardly needs an hour of labor per day.”

The Hon’ble Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi has introduced “Blue Revolution” to support the fisheries sector. However, to apply in the project, a farmer needs to invest a lumpsum amount of 25 Lakhs at the start. Garwa argues a small farmer can't invest a large sum to start with. If the government looked into the matter and could rectify the present procedure, Garwa is sure more farmers would want to start pearl farming and get included in the Blue Revolution.

Also read: This Man Left Secure Job in Plastic Company to Become UP’s ‘Lemon Man’ (startuppedia.in)