Sponsored
Explore whether cultivating the Arjuna tree is profitable for small farmers in 2025.
In an agricultural era marked by rising costs, erratic climate conditions, and pressure to adopt organic practices, smallholder farmers are exploring more sustainable, low-input, and market-oriented crops. One tree that is quietly gaining prominence in this changing landscape is the Arjuna tree (Terminalia arjuna). Traditionally known for its medicinal value, the Arjuna tree is now becoming a serious contender in the agroforestry space.
This essay examines the ecological benefits of Arjuna, its suitability within a diverse agricultural approach, and whether growing it is a financially viable alternative for small farmers in 2025.
The Arjuna tree, which is native to the Indian subcontinent, has long been valued for its therapeutic properties, especially in Ayurvedic medicine. Even aside of its use in herbal remedies, arjuna offers a number of benefits that make it a sustainable agricultural option for small farmers.
It thrives on riverbanks, bunds, and somewhat salty soils and is extremely pest-resistant. Its robust root system prevents erosion, encourages groundwater recharge, and sustains soil health over time.
Growing this tree has gained popularity in recent years due to its potential as a secondary source of income, medicinal value, and compatibility with intercropping. Farmers can anticipate sustainable returns with the right planting density and trimming.
A growing number of farmers who buy Arjuna Seeds and integrate them with short-duration crops like turmeric or legumes are reporting diversified income streams and healthier soil biology.
Nowadays, more than 40 patented Ayurvedic and nutraceutical compositions contain arjuna bark. Small farmers are taking advantage of a steady and profitable market as the demand for herbal supplements rises globally.
In four to six years, the tree usually reaches maturity for harvesting its bark. Because the bark regenerates when harvested in strips rather than girdled, harvesting can be done sustainably every 12 to 18 months. Depending on quality and drying methods, mature trees can produce up to 10 kg of bark per season, which can sell for between ₹120 and ₹200 per kg.
Compared to typical monocropping, farmers in eastern India who interplanted Arjuna with ginger and turmeric reported an increase in income of more than 40% in just five years.
Additionally, value-added units and farmer cooperatives are reducing dependency on middlemen by enabling local bark drying, powdering, and packaging.
Arjuna is more than just a business. On several levels, it improves agroecological performance. Its extensive root system enhances aeration, harbours helpful mycorrhizal fungi, and increases organic matter in deeper soil layers.
Over time, the organic biomass from its leaves enhances soils. The tree is appropriate for integrated systems because it may function as a shade plant without unduly competing for nutrients.
Agroforestry systems using native trees, such as Arjuna, have higher carbon retention capacity and biodiversity indices, according to the ICRAF Agroforestry Network.
Arjuna trees are resistant to drought and floods, unlike many commercial trees. Arjuna thrives despite a variety of climatic stressors in places like Jharkhand, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh, where tiny farms deal with monsoon anomalies.
It is perfect for rainfed farming areas and sloped terrains because it acts as a natural barrier against soil erosion.
Many state initiatives are supporting indigenous tree species like Arjuna in reforestation and agroforestry projects in line with India’s drive towards climate-smart agriculture. Programmes from the National Medicinal Plants Board, such as post-harvest assistance and planting subsidies, further help this.
Particularly in the medical industry, Arjuna gives a better market price per unit of product than other multipurpose plants like Neem or Amla. Arjuna’s bark has a consistent, health-conscious demand, but neem takes longer to mature and has a more erratic oil market.
Arjuna is more resilient and needs less chemical input than Amla, which is more vulnerable to pest infestations and climate change. It can be cultivated in riverbanks, dryland areas, or bunds—areas that small farmers sometimes neglect.
“Farmers don’t just plant trees anymore — they plant resilience, income, and biodiversity all at once.”
Tribal farmers in the Kandhamal area of Odisha integrated Arjuna into agroforestry systems based on turmeric. Within six years, the tree’s litter composition improved the pH of the soil and produced revenue from therapeutic bark.
In a similar vein, fifty small farmers in Maharashtra’s Satara district organized a cooperative to grow Arjuna in addition to lemon grass. Their average income per acre increased by ₹60,000 by the fourth year, primarily from the combined sales of bark and essential oil.
According to field tests conducted by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Terminalia arjuna exhibits strong carbon sequestration rates as well, which may make it eligible for carbon credit schemes associated with agroforestry.
Successful cultivation goes beyond planting. To maximize returns:
It is recommended that farmers establish or join cooperatives in order to bargain for lower prices, make investments in basic drying infrastructure, and receive assistance from agri-extension centres for compliance and quality grading.
Additionally, digital networks are being developed to link farmers with bulk purchasers and Ayurvedic businesses.
Cultivating arjuna is about more than simply making money; it’s also about restoring ecological balance, enhancing the value of underutilised land, and building small farmers’ long-term resilience. Farmers can find a place in the growing market for herbal medicines as it expands globally.
However, planning is necessary for profitability. Farmers must collaborate with cooperatives or marketing networks, start small, and incorporate intercrops. The ability of Arjuna to combine ecology and economy is what gives it its true strength, not simply its bark.
Arjuna provides a route to regenerative agriculture without compromising revenue, regardless of whether you’re an organic farmer for the first time or are overseeing inherited land. As more farmers recognise the advantages of long-term agroforestry systems over high-risk, short-cycle crops, its role is probably going to grow.
© 2024 Crivva - Business Promotion. All rights reserved.