For media owners wondering how to connect with the other half of India, here is an idea. Agrowon, a Marathi daily for farmers, shows at least one way of catering to rural audiences. Launched by the Rs 500-crore Sakaal Group in April 2005, it has already reached over 75,000 copies in circulation and close to Rs 8 crore in revenue, according to the company. The bulk of this money comes from regional advertisers such as Patil Biotech or Jain Irrigation.
The 16-page tabloid retails for Rs 2 a copy. That makes Agrowon one of those rare print brands that recovers its cost of production. It has eight editions, based on agro-climatic zones in Maharashtra. For instance, there is one edition for the cluster that comprises Aurangabad, Osmanabad, Jalna, Latur, Parbhani, Nanded and Beed. It is a region that grows jowar, bajra and moong, among half a dozen other crops. The paper is also distributed in the Marathi-speaking areas of bordering states - Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
In the next two years, the group is planning to ramp up circulation to 200,000 copies. In the next five, it hopes to duplicate the Agrowon model across other states with a strong agricultural economy. The idea is to be a national newspaper brand for farmers. That explains the neutrality of the brand name; you cannot associate Agrowon with any language. There are a couple of magazines — Baliraj, Shetkari — but no newspapers for farmers in Maharashtra. In fact the company claims that there is no daily for farmers anywhere in the world. The story of Agrowon is interesting because it showcases a different side of India's 'metro centric' news media business. The story actually got Agrowon a Gold at last month's News Innovation Awards instituted by afaqs!
Why Agrowon?
Sakaal, a leading Marathi daily, does very well for itself in Maharashtra. The group also has a few magazines and dailies, including Gomantak Times from Goa. However, it was missing on a large and prosperous chunk of the reading audience in its home state — farmers. Remember that huge tracts of Maharashtra spew pure cash in the form of sugarcane, groundnuts, millets and other crops. According to research, farmers could not relate to Sakaal. "They were not interested in politics, entertainment or what was happening in the cities," says Uday Jadhav, COO, Sakaal Group. Their information needs were more prosaic - what crops it makes sense to plant in the next couple of years, what is the latest in agricultural technology, what fertilisers to use and so on. For them, international news that helps figure out global trends in what crops could fetch a better price — will it be onions or grapes? — was the scintillating stuff.
While the logistics - printing and distribution - could easily ride on the Sakaal network, the content was the group's biggest challenge. Clearly, editors and reporters churning out editions for readers in Mumbai, Pune or Nashik, couldn't produce the same paper. So, the 20-strong editorial team for Agrowon has people who have never written before. These are graduates and post-graduates from agricultural colleges in Maharashtra. This team also plugs into the Sakaal network of 1,600-odd stringers, if needed.
The paper has three sections. One is news-based; on agro policy and trends. Two is on technical guidance and the third was entertainment. However, this last was eventually cut to one page (from two) because readers reacted badly to it. Instead of news on films or music, the page now has a crossword based on farming and rural kitchen recipes, among other things. "Even if it is a farmer's paper, it is not a farming paper," points out Pramod Rajebhosale, chief manager, Agrowon. The paper also does exactly what The Times of India or Sakaal would do in Mumbai, offers on ground activation to its advertisers.
On an average, the company organises 20 workshops a month, each lasting two-three hours and usually attended by 150-250 farmers. Then there are paid workshops on agricultural technology, full-day seminars, international tours, etc. In rural India, where media penetration is an issue, this is a boon for advertisers wanting to connect with this audience. As a result, just over 10 per cent of Agrowon's total revenues now come from events. The events also become forums to get reader feedback. For media companies looking for growth opportunities beyond urban India, Agrowon gives proof of the pudding.
