A Bengaluru man left a secure job to return to his hometown to start an agri-business. The founder of AGRATE, Prince Shukla, who grew up in Bihar’s Purnea, decided to take a different route, a marked departure from the high-stress, consumption-driven life in metropolitan cities.
While many mocked his unconventional move to start a business in the countryside, he was determined to do things differently and excel by uplifting the farmers around him. He founded the agri-tech company in December 2021 at the age of 24.
In the early days, Prince Shukla was labeled “dehati” (rustic) and faced skepticism, financial strain and countless other obstacles. But he strongly believed that farming deserved dignity and innovation. Determined and undeterred by criticism, he worked hard until his efforts bore fruit. Reflecting on the decisions he made, he said, “People used to call me a fool…when I chose farming.”
He secured BSc and MSc degrees in agriculture and returned to the fields to work directly with farmers. AGRATE’s LinkedIn profile describes it as a company “committed to empowering small-scale farmers in India by providing them with accessible and affordable farming solutions. The company understands the challenges faced by small-scale farmers, who often lack the resources and technology necessary to increase their crop yields and profitability.”
As per the profile, Prince Shukla’s venture addresses several farmer-centric issues and offers a range of products and services, such as high-quality seeds, efficient irrigation systems, eco-friendly fertilizers and pesticides at affordable prices.
He made a modest beginning with ₹1 lakh borrowed from his father. With a clear vision, he launched his business by supplying quality seeds, organic fertilisers, irrigation tools, and training in grafting and multi-cropping. The results took years to come, but when they did, his business scaled to a turnover of ₹2.5 crore.
The startup made zero revenue in fiscal year 2022. Despite limited communication skills, lack of business exposure and other setbacks, Prince Shukla continued to work to carve a niche in the domain that remained unexplored. The first breakthrough in his business came in FY23. With a modest turnover of ₹3 lakh in 2023, his business grew by a record 49 times in the following two years. It scaled to ₹1.5 crore turnover by FY25 through FPO partnerships, diversified projects and on-ground work.
Speaking with Startup Pedia, Prince Shukla said, “Farmers didn’t trust me initially because I looked young. Instead of targeting individual farmers, I started targeting FPOs (Farmer-Producer Organizations). I spoke with their CEOs and directors.”
Currently, AGRATE generates ₹2.5 crore in annual revenue and works with 10,000+ farmers across 38 districts in Bihar and Odisha. From makhana cultivation and grading to mushroom farming, the company focuses on crop diversification, infrastructure, processing, and packaging.
