Having grown up in a village on the border of Chhattisgarh, Satendrasingh Lilhare observed the high unemployment rate in the area.

Raised by two tribal women — his mother and maasi (aunt) — he reflects, “My mother and aunt would toil for hours on the farms, only to receive a meagre income. Our household, my education, and our well-being were all contingent on a very modest amount of money.”

While Satendra left home looking for better avenues of income, he knew he would always come back. After spending over a decade working in the social sector, he returned to his hometown.

He started ‘Bastar Se Bazaar Tak’ — a forest-to-fork enterprise that directly connects producers with consumers, eliminating middlemen altogether. Satendra’s business has three aspects — direct intervention, social side, and collaboration with the Government.

He explains, “We have direct contact with some farmers, and we also collaborate with some panchayats which help us procure the products. Once they are procured, we hire women to sort, pack and distribute the produce while we also have cold storage to store the items for the future.”

“At Bastar Se Bazaar Tak, we adhere to a fair measurement and pricing system. Women bring their produce and receive the market price without any commissions,” he adds.

The venture actively employs women for tasks, such as washing, sorting, and grading the produce, ensuring fair compensation while creating flexible and supportive local employment opportunities.

The brand sells a plethora of products — including fruits and nuts, vegetables, fish and game, medicinal plants, resins, essences, and fibres. Currently, Satendra works with 1,550 tribal women from in and around Bastar. The products have demand in cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Raipur, among others.

So far, the company has sold 50 tonnes of produce since its inception and has been able to earn Rs 1 crore in revenue so far. Their products are available to buy on Amazon or Jio Mart.

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