
Innovating Onion Processing: The Story of Satpro Food Processing
About the Entrepreneur
Swati Maichael Gaikwad, a dynamic entrepreneur from Daund, Pune, established Satpro Food Processing (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. with support from the Agri-Business Incubator (ABI) at ICAR-Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Pune. Her venture specializes in innovative value-added onion products that reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmer incomes.
Business Achievements
- Annual turnover of ₹60 lakh with consistent 25-30% profit margins
- Created 12 direct employment opportunities in rural Pune
- Developed 5 innovative onion-based products
- Established reliable market linkages for small onion growers

ICAR-DOGR Support
Under the ABI program, ICAR-DOGR provided critical support including:
- Technical guidance on onion processing technologies
- Access to research facilities for product development
- Business incubation and mentorship
- Market linkage support
"The technical support and infrastructure provided by ICAR-DOGR were instrumental in scaling up our operations," says Swati Gaikwad.
Impact on Farmers
Satpro Food Processing has positively impacted the local agricultural economy:
- Procures onions directly from 50+ small farmers in Pune district
- Provides 15-20% better prices compared to traditional markets
- Reduces post-harvest losses through immediate processing
- Conducts regular training programs on quality standards
Future Plans
With plans to expand operations, Satpro aims to:
- Increase processing capacity by 300% in next two years
- Develop export-oriented onion products
- Establish farmer producer organization (FPO) linkages
- Implement blockchain for supply chain transparency