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20 years ago, when Peerless Company suspended its operations, an officer who lost the job was wondering what to do next.  It was then that a colleague informed him about Rs.300 which was due to him.  He immediately collected the amount, went to the market at Ernakulam and purchased 10kg of good quality coconut oil at the rate of Rs.18 per kg.  He also purchased 100 empty bottles and corks to seal them.

He went home, gathered the ingredients for hair oil, prepared the same, bottled it and came to the market the very next day.  The 100 bottles were sold out at the rate of Rs.6.  Thus Dr.Radhakrishnan had begun his agro-business with a profit of Rs.300.

In 1986, he made experiments with herbal mixtures to enhance boiled drinking water.  After trying many formulae, he finally hit on the ‘Santhimatom Dahasamani’.  The initial marketing of the product was in person in banks, government offices and schools.  That business too clicked.  Today, the Dahasamani has high demand in domestic and foreign markets.

As the demand grew, he had to increase production.  Therein stood a problem.  The main ingredients of the herbal mixture, Pathimukham and Karingali were rare then, and had to be brought from Satyamangalam forests, where brigand Veerappan roamed.  It was then that he thought of cultivating both trees.  He bought land in Pazhani and Palakkad and started growing these trees.

Seeing that both the trees have good demand for other ayurvedic medicines also, he made saplings of these trees and sold them.

The Santhimatom Agrofarm Trust has a scheme to convert anyone’s plot of land into an agrofarm.  All that the owner is expected to do is spare 1 acre of land and pay Rs.50000.  The trust will plant the herbs which can produce good return on investment after 7 years.

Radhakrishnan in Pathimukham nursery

Courtesy:  JS, Karshakan, April 2005

Contributed by: Administrator