How a PhD Dropout Turned Broom-Making into a Rs. 20 Crore Turnover Business

When Anant Ajmera was 26, he made a bold decision that changed his life. He dropped out of his PhD program and started a broom manufacturing business in Guwahati with an investment of Rs. 10 lakh.

It was a risky move, but today, his company has grown into a Rs. 20 crore turnover business, transforming not only his own life but also improving the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in Meghalaya.

Anant Ajmera started Jungle Agros with just Rs 10 lakh (Photos: Special Arrangement)

At least six or seven districts in Meghalaya produce the highest quality and largest quantity of broom-grass. In Assam, East and West Karbi Anglong, along with Dima Hasao districts, also cultivate it.

Broom-grass in Assam is still classified as a forest product due to an outdated British-era law that has never been amended.


"The government claims to generate revenue through royalty, but the amount is negligible. Moreover, manufacturers struggle to procure and transport it," says Anant.

“Interestingly, broom-grass in Meghalaya is considered an agricultural product, allowing farmers there to earn higher profits than those in Assam. Together, Meghalaya and Assam produced over 16 lakh bundles of broom-grass, each weighing 50 kg, in 2024.”

In Meghalaya, broom-grass is sourced from the Jirang region, which has about 108 villages, with 96 actively involved in its production.

"These farmers are our direct suppliers. By eliminating middlemen, we have significantly improved the lives of around 4,800 farmers. They now get better prices and the correct weight for their produce," says the 37-year-old entrepreneur.

Anant weighs the raw materials that a farmer brings in

Business runs in Anant’s veins, just like his father, Ajay Kumar Jain, who is in the yarn business. In 2014, Anant started wholesaling high-quality raw materials for brooms from a 1,000-square-foot warehouse on the Assam-Meghalaya border.

Two years later, he expanded into manufacturing brooms, producing varieties like Assam grass brooms, floor grass brooms, reed grass brooms, plastic-handle grass brooms, and long-pipe grass brooms. While brooms are traditionally handmade, his firm initially used a combination of machines and manual labour to produce them.

Since 2018, he has been running his business from a 40,000-square-foot warehouse in Jirang, Meghalaya.

Before launching his proprietorship firm, Jungle Agros, Anant worked as a part-time teacher at Guwahati Commerce College and several private institutions. He earned his commerce degree from Gauhati University in 2012, followed by an MBA in Marketing and Finance and an M.Com.

Anant was a Junior Research Fellow (JRF) in Management and Commerce, securing East India Rank II and Rank I under the UGC. He also enrolled in a PhD program and published around eight research papers in finance along with two book chapters. However, he became a PhD dropout as his growing business commitments took priority.

Broom-grass worth Rs. 600 crore is traded annually, including raw materials sourced from Nepal. “Of this, Meghalaya alone supplies broom-grass valued at Rs. 400 crore. In 2024, we sold raw materials to 204 districts across India,” says Anant.

Brooms ready for sale

Currently, the price of Grade-1 raw material ranges between Rs. 50 and Rs. 57 per kilogramme, while low-grade grass costs Rs. 25 per kilogramme.

Jungle Agros specialises in manufacturing long brooms, with each broom measuring between 48 and 50 inches. "Our unique selling points are durability, the colour of the brush, the handle design, and the overall attractive look," says Anant.

“This year, we have already received orders for approximately 3.5 to 5 lakh ready-to-use brooms from 30 districts across India. The price of a single broom ranges from Rs. 40 to Rs. 65.”

India produces the best quality raw material for phool jhadu, or flower brooms. While the broom industry is relatively smaller compared to other sectors, it has an estimated market value of Rs. 1,500 crore. Indian brooms are exported to the Middle East, African nations, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

There are around 20 major merchants who procure raw materials, along with approximately 80 small traders across India. The number of manufacturers in this industry is estimated to be between 3,500 and 5,000. Since broom-grass is a seasonal crop, only 10% of the industry operates year-round, while the remaining 90% functions during the harvest season.

More than 50,000 to 100,000 people are involved in this industry, including cultivators, dryers, and packers. Since brooms are agricultural products, a significant workforce is required for grading, sorting, and packing.

The production process relies entirely on manual labour. Jungle Agros currently employs 11 workers.

When Anant entered the broom industry, he noticed that most people in the business had little exposure to formal education and relied on traditional methods. Over 11 years, he introduced 12 minor yet impactful changes to improve the process.

A farmer uses his scooty to deliver freshly harvested broomgrass

One key improvement was in drying broom-grass, which determines its quality. Traditionally, farmers would dry the grass under the sun for a month after harvest, which caused discolouration.

“The change I introduced was to sun-dry the grass for just two to three days and then move it to the shade to dry further. This technique resulted in a brighter, more vibrant grass colour. I shared this method with the villagers, and they have now adopted it,” says Anant.

Another major change involved broom handles. In northern India, broom handles made of wrought iron are common, but in the northeastern states, high humidity causes them to rust and weaken.

"I designed a new type of handle, which I have patented. This innovative handle has several advantages over regular iron-pipe handles and has received a strong market response,” he claims.

Another innovation was in broom fillers, which make brooms more compact. Traditionally, fillers were either handcrafted using bamboo or other materials. Jungle Agros became the first company to introduce machine-made fillers, though due to some managerial issues, they later adopted a semi-mechanised approach.

His company invested heavily in research and development, losing 20% of its profit over three to four years, but the investment has now paid off, and the company has successfully recovered.

Anant feels the nylon bristle brooms might pose a challenge to the natural brooms

The future of natural brooms appears uncertain due to the rising popularity of plastic brooms. With the introduction of nylon bristle brooms, the market for natural fibre brooms has declined, posing a significant threat to the industry.

“In the next 10 to 15 years, it is uncertain whether this industry will survive,” says Anant. “Plastic brooms are taxed at 5% GST, while flower brooms are exempt from GST. However, the government collects 18% GST on plastic as a raw material. Indirectly, this encourages the production and sale of plastic brooms.”

Anant, who has a younger sister, is married and the couple has two children. - ©TWL