Detailed Project Report on stevia cultivation and safed musli farming

STEVIA CULTIVATION AND SAFED MUSLI FARMING
[CODE NO. 3168]

Stevia is a perennial shrub that extensively grows in places like Brazil, Central America and Israel but is native to Paraguay. The genus Stevia belongs to Asteraceae family, tribe Eupatoriae and comprises of 240 species. This plant grows mostly at the altitude of 500 - 3000 m above sea level in semidry mountainous terrain. Different species of Stevia contain several potential sweetening compounds; Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is the sweetest of all. For centuries this herbal sweetener has been used in native cultures to
counteract the bitter taste of various plant based medicines and beverages. Nowadays the extraction of sweeteners from stevia leaves is a growing industrial and commercial worldwide sector; more than 750 tons of stevia leaves per year are used as crude extract for consumption and extraction of glycosides. The sweetening property is associated with their contents of several glycosides, stevioside, steviobioside, rebaudiosides A to F, dulcoside A and steviol. These glycosides and their derivatives are known to account for 4% - 20% of the dry weight of stevia leaves.

Stevia is a totally natural sweetener with no calories, suited for people who cannot tolerate sugar. Stevia is also useful for people who are conscious about calories in their food.

Stevia is the safest natural sweetener, and it can substitute cane sugar in various preparations and formulations. It has been used to treat many ailments including diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, addictions and several  skin defects.

Stevia is alternatively named as rebaudiana (re-bau'dee-ah-nah).  It is a member of the composites family.

Stevia is originated from North Eastern Paraguay and widely distributed to USA, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and South East Asia. This is commonly  known as (aa-He-e (Sweet herb) in Japan and  Korea  and generally    occurs  on  the  edge of  marshers  or  in  grassland communities on soil with shallow water tables.

Stevia rebaudiana (Syn. Eupatoriun rebaudiana) belongs to the family Astera. It is diploid with chromosome number 2n-22. The plant is a slender perennial herb growing upto a height of 60 to 70cm tall with sessile, oppositely arranted Ianceolate to obtanceolate leaves, serrated above the middle. The flowers are small, white and arranged in an irregular cyme. Stevia is a short day plant.

The leaves contain several chemicals called glycosides, which taste sweet but do not provide calories. The major glycoside is called stevioside and a sweetener in use.

The glycosides in the leaves of stevia, include upto 10% stevioside. Stevioside accounts for its incredible sweetness, making its unique among the nearly 300 species of stevia plants.

Originally introduced in Japan in 1970 by a consortium of food product manufacturers, stevioside and other stevia  products quickly caught on.


COST ESTIMATION

Plant  Capacity                          :       STEVIA & SAFED MUSLI FARMING       
Land & Building (10 Acres)    :        Rs. 6.00 Lacs
Plant & Machinery                     :        Rs. 7.50 Lacs
Working Capital for 1 Month    :       Rs. 1.93 Lac
Total Capital Investment           :       Rs. 17.96 Lacs
Rate of Return                             :       57%
Break Even Point                         :      49%


INTRODUCTION    
HEALTH BENEFITS OF SAFED MUSLI    
VARIETY OF SAFED MUSLI    
REQUIREMENT FOR SAFED MUSLI CULTIVATION    
USES AND APPLICATION OF SAFED MUSLI    
CHARACTERISTICS OF SAFED MUSLI    
COMMERCIAL USE OF SWEETENERS    
PROPERTIES    
SWEETLEAF STEVIA-SUGAR EQUIVALENCES    
APPLICATION AND BENEFITS    
APPLICATION AND USE LEVEL    
BENEFITS OF STEVIA    
STEVIA CULTIVATION IN INDIA AND ITS BENEFITS    
MARKET POTENTIAL IN INDIA    
PRESENT MANUFACTURES/SUPPIERS/EXPORTERS    
METHOD OF CULTIVATION AND PROPAGATION OF STEVIA    
PROPAGATION OF STEVIA    
GROWING STEVIA IN HOME GARDEN    
CULTIVATION METHOD OF STEVIA (MORITA VARIETY)    
CULTIVATION OF SAFED MUSLI    
DETAILS OF CULTIVATION AND PROPAGATION OF SAFED MUSLI    
NURSERY, PRAISING AND PLANTING OF SAFED MUSLI    
METHOD OF CULTIVATION FOR SAFED MUSLI    
HARVESTING AND POST HARVESTING OF SAFED MUSLI    
INSECT PESTS AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT FOR SAFED MUSLI    
INDUSTRIAL CONSULTANTS OF STEVIA    
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULES    
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY    
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS    
PLANT ECONOMICS    


APPENDIX – A:

 1.      COST OF PLANT ECONOMICS      
 2.      LAND & BUILDING                                      
 3.      PLANT AND MACHINERY                                  
 4.      FIXED CAPITAL INVESTMENT                             
 5.      RAW MATERIAL                                         
 6.      SALARY AND WAGES                                     
 7.      UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS                              
 8.      TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL                                
 9.      COST OF PRODUCTION                                   
10.      PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS                               
11.      BREAK EVEN POINT                                     
12.      RESOURCES OF FINANCE                           
13.      INTEREST CHART                                       
14.      DEPRECIATION CHART                                   
15.      CASH FLOW STATEMENT                                   
16.      PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET