Who is Ketan Sodha? From failed first crop to ₹44 lakh in sales, Mumbai man's strawberry farming journey

Ketan Sodha, a fourth-generation Mumbaikar with no farming background, has built a soilless strawberry farm in Mahabaleshwar with a capacity of 19,500 plants. His venture, Berry Fresh Agrotech, has reportedly produced around 8,000 kg of strawberries and generated ₹44 lakh in sales.

Ketan Sodha, a 57-year-old entrepreneur from Mumbai, has taken an unconventional route into agriculture, transforming himself from a businessman dealing in agricultural land into a strawberry farmer in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra.

According to a report by The Better India, Sodha, with no prior farming experience or agricultural background in his family, began cultivating strawberries in 2016 after demonetisation disrupted his land-related business. Nearly a decade later, he runs Berry Fresh Agrotech LLP, a soilless strawberry cultivation venture that aims to extend the fruit's growing season beyond the conventional winter months.

Sodha completed his Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) from KC College under Mumbai University. Before entering agriculture, he spent several years connecting agricultural landowners with prospective buyers across Maharashtra.

His work frequently took him towards Mahabaleshwar, passing through Poladpur, where he developed an interest in the region's climate and strawberry cultivation.

He first became interested in strawberries around 2012-13. However, it was only after demonetisation in 2016 slowed the existing business that he decided to explore farming as a new venture.

"I had to start something new, so I decided to switch over to Mahabaleshwar for strawberries," Sodha was quoted as saying by The Better India.

He initially purchased 5,000 strawberry plants from a local farmer and attempted to cultivate them himself. His first season proved unsuccessful, but he persisted.

In 2017, he reportedly increased the number of plants to 10,000 and recorded better results. His production began attracting attention from established strawberry growers in the region, with some approaching him for partnerships.

By 2019, he had entered into a partnership to cultivate strawberries across nine acres. During the 2020-21 season, his operations expanded to nearly 40 acres across three locations.

Despite expanding his cultivation, Sodha continued facing challenges associated with conventional strawberry farming.

In Mahabaleshwar, strawberries are traditionally grown in open fields, leaving crops vulnerable to unexpected weather conditions. Unseasonal rainfall, particularly around November and early December, could damage crops and delay production by 15-20 days.

He also wanted to overcome the seasonal limitations of conventional farming, where strawberry cultivation generally stops as summer and the monsoon arrive.

To explore alternatives, Sodha travelled to Italy, Spain, Egypt and Turkey during 2021-22. He met nursery owners and hydroponic growers and consulted experts from countries including Israel, the UK, New Zealand, Australia and the US.

However, he realised that agricultural technologies successful overseas could not simply be replicated in India without accounting for local conditions.

Berry Fresh Agrotech LLP was incorporated on October 14, 2022, while its soilless strawberry cultivation facility began operations in November 2024.

Sodha's farm is spread across a leased two-acre property in Mahabaleshwar. It houses a 1,500-square-metre polyhouse designed to accommodate 19,500 strawberry plants.

Unlike conventional farms, where strawberries are grown directly in the soil, his plants grow in cocopeat, a growing medium made from coconut husk.

The soilless cultivation system helps reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases associated with repeatedly growing crops in the same soil.

The facility also uses a retractable roof, an openable polyhouse and a misting system to manage growing conditions.

An automated fertigation system supplies water and nutrients to the plants. Each plant receives approximately 75 ml of nutrient solution over 24 hours.

The farm also harvests and stores rainwater, which is treated with ozone before entering the growing system.

Located at an altitude of around 1,400 metres, the farm benefits from Mahabaleshwar's relatively mild temperatures.

According to Sodha, the combination of controlled water supply, nutrient management and a protected growing environment helps keep the plants productive even when conventional strawberry cultivation is not possible.

Berry Fresh Agrotech has reportedly harvested approximately 8,000 kg of strawberries and generated around ₹44 lakh in revenue through business-to-business (B2B) and direct-to-consumer (B2C) sales.

According to figures shared by the venture, its production data for January 2024 to December 2025 showed an average harvest of 408 grams per plant and production of approximately 3.2 kg per square metre.

The strawberries are sold at prices ranging from ₹400 to ₹600 per kg, depending on the customer and order.

Around 60% of its sales come from direct consumers, while the remaining 40% are through business customers.

Its customer base extends across Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar, Delhi, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Indore, Udupi and Goa.

Interestingly, Sodha does not rely on a significant digital marketing operation or social media presence. Much of the business has grown through word-of-mouth recommendations and repeat customers.

Another focus of Sodha's venture is identifying strawberry varieties that can perform well in Indian climatic conditions.

Berry Fresh is currently conducting trials involving 19 varieties sourced from countries including the US, Spain, Italy, Uruguay and Japan. It has also added a variety from the Netherlands.

The objective is to study differences in yield, taste, fruit quality, disease resistance and adaptability to local weather conditions.

Sodha is also exploring the possibility of securing exclusive rights to certain foreign strawberry genetics for India and eventually making suitable planting material accessible to other farmers.

Sodha is now looking to expand beyond his existing facility in Mahabaleshwar.

According to The Better India, he is at the investor-discussion stage for a proposed five-acre facility with a minimum capacity of around 2 lakh strawberry plants.

His broader plan is to replicate the cultivation model in other parts of India where climatic conditions are suitable.

The focus remains on extending strawberry production at both ends of the conventional growing season — producing early fruit before the regular season begins and continuing cultivation after other farmers have stopped harvesting.

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