Monika Tiwari, hailing from a farming family in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, has always been acutely aware of the challenges plaguing the agricultural sector. Her journey to address these issues began with securing a seat at IIT Bombay to study Energy Science and Engineering. During her time there, Tiwari was selected for the Jagriti Yatra, a transformative two-week train journey across India that exposed her to innovative ideas and inspired her entrepreneurial spirit. It was during this journey that she discovered the concept of a solar dehydrator, which would later become the cornerstone of her business model.
In December 2022, Tiwari founded Khetar, a company dedicated to providing innovative, sustainable agriculture solutions. Despite initially working as a software engineer, Tiwari found her true calling in entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to give back to society. She was joined by Visat Patel, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Bombay with extensive startup experience, and Ashish Shah, an ex-Adani executive with over three decades of experience, who serves as the Chief Executive at Khetar.
Khetar’s first product, Rainger, is a solar dehydrator designed to address post-harvest losses, a significant issue for farmers. The journey to developing Rainger began during Tiwari’s work on an aeroponics project, where she attended agri exhibitions in Mumbai and realized the extent of post-harvest losses. This realization motivated her to develop a scalable dehydration system, leading to the creation of Khetar. Tiwari’s research in sustainable technology and rural development, including collaborations with RuTAG, further deepened her understanding of post-harvest processes and their impact on farmers’ livelihoods.
Rainger operates by removing moisture from produce in a closed environment, preventing fungal infections and allowing for faster drying independent of weather conditions. The dehydrator generates water as a byproduct, which can be sold as aromatic water, providing farmers with additional income. The machine uses heat pumps to disperse heat, converting moisture into water through increased pressure. The air continues to circulate until the produce is completely dry. Khetar has incorporated IoT into the systems, allowing for remote monitoring and adjustments, ensuring optimal performance even in remote villages.
Khetar operates on a pay-per-use model, with clients signing agreements to utilize at least half the capacity of the system on a daily basis. The company takes a small upfront payment and charges a monthly fee, which can vary according to the produce. One of its notable clients is Pushkarwala, an FPO in Pushkar, which has increased its income by 5X using Khetar’s dehydrators. The company plans to deploy more systems and expand its network of FPOs, aiming to create downstream channels and connect them with exporters or food processing companies.
Khetar is currently in talks with food processing companies like HUL and ATC and aims to raise funds to expand its team and fuel its expansion plans. The company is also exploring the possibility of selling its product instead of just renting it, with projections of capex sales of 30 units in the next 12-18 months. Tiwari sees S4S Technologies and Raheja Solar Food Processing as Khetar’s competitors.
