Agrograde: transforming post-harvest efficiency for farmers

In this episode of Food Frontiers, we speak with Kshitij Thakur, founder of Agrograde, an agri-robotics startup transforming post-harvest processes through innovative technology. Drawing from his farming background and expertise in engineering, Kshitij shares how Agrograde addresses critical challenges like post-harvest losses, inefficiencies, and lack of transparency in agriculture.

Kshitij discusses Agrograde’s cutting-edge solutions, including deep-learning and robotics-based grading and sorting systems, which help farmers improve the marketability of their produce while significantly reducing costs.

IBT: What inspired you to start Agrograde Robotics, and what are the gaps that you have seen in the farming sector that motivated your efforts? Please provide some insights about your journey so far.

Kshitij Thakur: Coming from a farming background, I’ve always been aware of the disconnect between farm production and the food that reaches consumers. Agriculture faces challenges like unfair pricing, post-harvest losses, and price volatility, and has often been slow to adopt new technology. As a mechanical engineer with a keen interest in automation, I, along with my engineering friends, felt a responsibility to address these issues. Initially focused on industrial automation, we later recognized the immense potential for technology to resolve inefficiencies in the agricultural supply chain, particularly post-harvest losses.

IBT: Could you briefly describe your products? How are they enhancing the marketability of the produce, and while they are also reducing the post-harvest losses, in what ways do they contribute to our efficient and transparent training process in agriculture?

Kshitij Thaur: In agriculture, produce often consists of mixed grades and varying quality. For example, crops like potatoes, tomatoes, and onions can include damaged, diseased, or visually unappealing items that struggle to fetch a fair price. The lack of infrastructure to sort these based on marketability, along with subjective quality standards, complicates pricing. Platforms like E-NAM also face challenges in assuring quality when buyers and sellers are far apart.

To tackle this, we’ve developed technology that uses deep learning and robotics to sort produce based on quality, size, and shelf life. Our machines capture detailed data—images, sensor readings, and weight—which is analyzed by proprietary software to categorize the produce. This allows items with a short shelf life to be processed locally, reducing waste and preventing long-distance transport. By standardizing quality through technology, we provide transparency between buyers and sellers, reducing friction and enabling produce to move seamlessly onto online marketplaces. Ultimately, this increases the value captured per kilogram of fresh produce and ensures fair pricing for farmers.

IBT: How does your technology which improves farm produce’s marketability, affect the cost and finances of the farmers? How do you ensure that it remains affordable for farmers, while also maintaining the quality standards of the produce?

Kshitij Thakur: In the fresh produce supply chain, grading and sorting are crucial but are typically done manually, which adds significant costs for farmers. Labor is one of the biggest expenses in farming, and due to manual processes, farmers also lose valuable shelf life. Ideally, produce should reach the market within one or two days after harvest, but without the necessary infrastructure, this often isn’t possible. As a result, farmers face inefficiencies, higher costs, and wasted resources.

Our technology addresses these challenges by automating grading, sorting, and packing, which has helped reduce these costs by up to 77%. We’ve seen adoption of this technology in clusters, where individual farmers buy the machines and share them, or micro-entrepreneurs rent them out. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) also invest in our equipment for their member farmers. Additionally, we offer a pay-per-use model through our own grading and sorting centers, ensuring access to technology for everyone in the supply chain.

By partnering with FPOs, we facilitate machine rentals for farmers who may not be able to afford the equipment. We’ve also developed portable machines that can be moved directly to the farm, reducing transportation costs and making the purchasing process easier. Over the past seven years, we’ve scaled our technology, creating compact, affordable machines suitable for small farms. This flexibility ensures that technology is accessible, regardless of farm size, and helps optimize supply chains across different geographies.

IBT: What are the key areas that you are collaborating with big names and big partners such as Nvidia and Bosch? What support are you getting from them?

Kshitij Thakur: In the early stages of our startup, Nvidia and Bosch played a crucial role in supporting us. As a young team trying to solve a real problem, building hardware was challenging. These organizations helped and guided us, offering valuable insights on product development and connecting us with mentors. Their support was instrumental in helping us design and manufacture products tailored for Indian users, especially in harsh environments like dusty fields with extreme temperature fluctuations.

We take great pride in our engineering, as few companies have succeeded in creating machines that perform reliably in such conditions. Our incubation centers, like IGKV Raipur, and CIBA, along with partners like NASSCOM, have all been essential in helping us navigate these challenges. We’re fortunate to have had their guidance throughout our journey.

IBT: What is your assessment of the current state of India’s agri-tech industry, and how are you contributing to making technology accessible to farmers? What do you see as the future of this sector?

Kshitij Thakur: I’m constantly meeting founders and startups, especially during my travels, and the technological advancements in agri-tech are impressive. There’s significant growth in just a few years, driven by passionate rural entrepreneurs who aren’t always in the spotlight but are making great strides.

The startup ecosystem is very collaborative—competitors are encouraging each other to build better solutions, benefiting everyone in the supply chain. I’m particularly excited about hardware innovations in regions like Pune and Nashik, where startups are creating zero-to-one products that tackle challenges like farm mechanization, post-harvest losses, and processing low-shelf-life produce. What we see in Maharashtra will likely mirror developments in other regions, as each area faces unique challenges. As long as the innovations enhance the supply chain and ecosystem, the future of agri-tech looks promising.

IBT: What are Agrograde’s plans for national and international expansion, and what are the areas that you are going to focus on for future growth?

Kshitij Thakur: Right now, we’re focused on expanding our portfolio, working across nine different crop groups, and planning to add more as we move forward. We’re also developing newer, more advanced technologies while making our existing solutions more accessible to partners across various regions.

Our initial focus has been on building solutions for India, where we identified a critical need. However, we’re now looking at international markets and exploring opportunities to address similar challenges globally. Expansion into global markets is definitely part of our future plans.

 

Read more interviews:

EF Polymer: Transforming agriculture through innovation and sustainability

Aqualine Bhungru: Pioneering water conservation for future generations

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