UP woman left PhD to start NutriLeafz, now grows cucumber & bell peppers; clocks ₹45L revenue/yr

Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk

A woman pursuing a PhD with the aim of building a career in academia finds herself facing challenges related to academic processes, making it difficult to continue her work. For Noida-based Sona Misra, this became a reality in 2015, when she decided to leave her doctorate. The decision was not easy. After spending years building her scientific expertise, this setback could have led Misra to move away from the field altogether. Instead, she chose to put her knowledge to use by building a farming startup. Misra began experimenting with hydroponic farming on a 4,000-square-foot rooftop in Noida. She gradually took the idea further, and today, she runs a 3-acre high-tech hydroponic farm in Mathura. There, she cultivates exotic vegetables while also working with 100 rural women and contributing to the rural economy. About Sona Misra - Founder of NutriLeafz Freshfarm NutriLeafz founder Sona Misra receiving a recognition for her work Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) Hailing from Kanpur, Sona Misra completed her undergraduate studies in Biology (BSc in Biology). She moved to Ghaziabad in 2009 She completed her Master's in Biotechnology from ITS Institute of Technology & Sciences, Ghaziabad and subsequently worked as a researcher in prestigious labs across Delhi NCR. In 2012, she enrolled in a PhD program at Gautam Buddha University, where her research focused on cancer and stem cells. However, despite her deep passion for science, the journey met with challenges. From PhD to Farming Sona Misra at her Noida farm Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) Sona’s PhD experience made her realise that academic research came with several challenges, particularly around academic processes. Ultimately, she decided to leave the PhD program in 2015. After leaving Gautam Buddha University, Sona appeared for the PhD entrance examination at G. B. Pant University in Uttarakhand and successfully cleared it. However, she found that completing the program would take at least seven years. “At that stage, I did not feel that spending another 7 years pursuing a doctorate was feasible,” she said. This led Sona to move away from pursuing a PhD and instead focus on conducting research independently, eventually applying her biotechnology background to modern farming. “My research made me realise that Indian agriculture was still lagging behind in several areas, and I decided to apply my biotechnology background to modern farming to help improve it,” Sona Misra tells Startup Pedia in an exclusive interview. The Pivot Sona Misra's father with farm produces Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) There was also a personal consideration. Misra was planning to get married in May 2017, while her husband was based in Delhi-NCR and worked in the corporate finance sector as an Associate Director at BYJU’s. Moving to Uttarakhand could have made it difficult to balance their careers and married life. Her family also advised her that staying in Delhi-NCR would offer better career opportunities and stability. These factors eventually led her to drop the idea of pursuing another institutional PhD. Instead, Misra decided to pursue research independently and on her own terms. The Initial Rooftop Experiment in Noid a Since Sona came from a scientific background, she began independent research into hydroponics around 2019-2020. She set up her first high-tech, temperature-controlled hydroponic farm on the rooftop of a commercial building in Noida as an experiment. With an investment of Rs 10 lakh, she built a 4,000-plant setup. Here, she experimented with over 20 crop varieties, including lettuce, herbs, bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and 7-8 varieties of microgreens. While the rooftop farm yielded excellent quality crops and attracted retail orders from high-end societies in Noida, the limited 4,000 sq. ft. space meant it wasn't commercially viable at scale. Sona’s Second Farm in Noida A view of Noida sector 137 farm Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) After achieving technical success with her rooftop farm, Sona leased a 1-acre farm in Sector 137, Noida, in 2021. The site had a ready-made structure, but it was in a ruined and non-functional condition. Sona invested Rs 12 lakh to restore the site and set up a proper commercial hydroponic farm. Since she took on the cost of restoring the structure, she did not have to pay any additional monthly rent during the one-year lease. This effectively brought her cost to around Rs 1 lakh per month. At the farm, Sona primarily cultivated bell peppers and cherry tomatoes, generating a revenue of Rs 6–7 lakh in 2021–22. Closing Noida’s Farms A glimpse of Noida farm produces Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) Despite achieving technical success and generating revenue from the Sector 137 farm, Sona faced several challenges that made it difficult to continue operating there. In 2022, she decided to shut down her Noida operations, mainly because of the severe saline water problem, poor land quality, and high maintenance costs. The groundwater quality in Noida was extremely poor, while the land was highly saline and infertile. Managing these conditions in a small, fragmented setup was becoming increasingly expensive. Managing multiple locations also added to the problem. Sona was simultaneously handling the rooftop farm, the Sector 137 farm, and her family responsibilities, which meant spending a lot of time travelling between different locations and managing teams at separate sites. “A lot of energy was getting wasted running here and there. Keeping the team in different places and managing everything was diverting my energy, and the true commercial viability just wasn't coming out of it,” Sona explained. She eventually decided to shut down both Noida farms in 2022 and move the operations to a 15-acre plot in Bathain Khurd, near Kosi Kalan in Mathura. Away from metropolitan cities, labour and maintenance cost is significantly lower. About Mathura’s Farm A view of Mathura's farm Photograph: (by: Sona Misra) Sona wanted to develop her farm at a location where maintenance costs would be lower and the site would be easily accessible. After researching and looking for suitable land, she finally found a 15-acre plot in Bathain Khurd, near Kosi Kalan in Mathura. The land came with its own challenges. The soil was highly saline and infertile, while the groundwater quality was extremely poor. She installed Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants to purify the water and set up a sprawling 3-acre soilless hydroponic farm using cocopeat as the growing medium. Currently, Sona is farming on 3 acres of the 15-acre plot. Crop Production To maintain commercial viability, Sona follows a strict crop rotation system and primarily grows three major crops: cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers. The production cycles are planned according to the lifespan of each crop: Cucumber: Cucumber is grown on a 3- to 4-month cycle. Since it can be harvested 3 times a year, a single cycle produces around 30 to 35 tonnes. Bell Pepper: Bell pepper has a 9-month crop cycle, with a single cycle producing around 15 to 16 tonnes. Cherry Tomato: Cherry tomato is also a 9-month crop. Each plant produces approximately 1 kg, and with around 12,000 plants, the farm harvests approximately 12 tonnes per cycle. Also Read: This Bengaluru man built mU Greens & Greens to grow microgreens; now makes ₹70 lakh revenue annually Overcoming Ground-Level Challenges & Empowering Women Building a highly automated farm in a rural village came with its own set of challenges. The area experienced frequent electricity and voltage fluctuations, which damaged some of the farm's automation equipment. “During one summer, a power failure stopped the water supply for 3 days and ruined the standing crop. To avoid such problems in the future, we’ve installed solar panels to support the farm's operations,” Sona tells Startup Pedia. She also faced difficulties in getting local maintenance work done. Villagers viewed the farm like a large factory, and even for minor repairs, a local electrician would charge Rs 1,000 just to visit the farm, regardless of whether the work was eventually carried out. The farm provides employment to around 100 women from the village. Many of them previously had limited safe employment opportunities nearby, but their families allow them to work at the farm because they trust Sona, whom they affectionately call "Didi." The women are involved in pruning, cutting, and harvesting. Part-time workers are paid Rs 300 to Rs 400 per day, earning around Rs 9,000 to Rs 10,000 a month. Also Read: Kerala man turned his 40-YO Merlin Mangosteen Farm into an agri-tourism hotspot; making ₹1.2Cr revenue per year Sales, Distribution, and Pricing Model Initially, Sona generated D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) orders through her website. However, as the farm's production increased to large volumes, including 45 tonnes in a single cycle, managing D2C logistics with a small team became difficult. Today, NutriLeafz focuses heavily on the B2B distribution model. Sona supplies exotic vegetables to major platforms such as Zomato Hyperpure, Zepto and Otipy. Her produce also reaches wholesale markets including Azadpur Mandi and Ghazipur Mandi in Delhi. The Mathura farm is only around 2-2.5 hours away from these markets via the highway, allowing the produce to reach vendors quickly after harvesting. Also Read: 2 Delhi friends started Kofi Kafi to sell premium coffee; now operate 5 outlets & clock ₹2.4Cr revenue/year Revenue, Operational Costs, and Commercial Viability Currently, NutriLeafz Freshfarm generates around Rs 40 to Rs 45 lakh in annual revenue, which averages out to Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakh per acre. The operational cost is around Rs 6 lakh per acre, taking the total annual expenditure for her 3-acre setup to around Rs 18 to Rs 20 lakh. Also Read: MP-based Noorjahan mango farm earns Rs 16 lakh per year by selling 10 tonnes of 40 mango varieties Looking Ahead & Future Expansion Sona's vision is heavily influenced by Singapore's "Grow Your Own Food" campaign. She even received a lucrative offer to move to Singapore and become part of its agricultural initiative. However, she rejected the offer because the investors wanted to dictate the structure and terms of the farming operation. Sona was determined to stay in India because she believes that as health issues increase and Western salad culture becomes more popular, India needs to democratize access to hydroponic technology. To fund her next phase of growth, Sona has actively applied for investments, including pitching to Shark Tank. She also recently received approval for marketing funds under the UP Startup initiative, although the funds have not yet been released. FAQ Q. 1. Who is Sona Misra? A. Sona Misra is a Noida-based biotechnology researcher and the founder of NutriLeafz Freshfarm, a hydroponic farming startup in Mathura. Q. 2. What crops does NutriLeafz Freshfarm grow? A. The farm primarily cultivates cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers using soilless hydroponic farming. Q. 3. How large is Sona Misra's hydroponic farm? A. She currently operates a 3-acre high-tech hydroponic farm on a 15-acre land in Mathura. Q. 4. How many women does NutriLeafz Freshfarm employ? A. The startup provides employment to around 100 rural women, who work in pruning, harvesting, and other farm operations.