Founded in 2019, Murungai Arasi has emerged as a successful value-added farming venture in Tamil Nadu, transforming moringa into a wide range of products while promoting healthy living across global markets.
The enterprise was started by Ponnarasi, a Class 10 dropout from Dindigul, who once struggled to meet even basic needs for her children. Facing financial hardship, social criticism, and lack of family support, she initially relied on selling moringa seeds at just Rs 5 per kilogram to survive.
Over time, Ponnarasi shifted her approach after learning the importance of value addition in agriculture. Instead of selling raw produce, she began creating finished goods such as health powders, oils, and cosmetics. This transformation laid the foundation for her business, which now produces 36 moringa-based products.
Starting with a modest investment of Rs 50,000—raised through loans and by mortgaging her gold—she managed costs by renting machinery instead of purchasing it. Later, government support in the form of a Rs 2 lakh subsidy helped her establish a small pack house, enabling better production and packaging.
Despite facing setbacks during demonetisation and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ponnarasi continued to expand her business. Moving away from middlemen, she adopted direct-to-consumer sales through platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, building trust with customers by sharing regular updates about her work.
Today, Murungai Arasi generates an annual revenue of around Rs 12 lakh and serves customers not only across India but also in countries including the United States, France, Singapore, and Malaysia. With a growing base of over one lakh customers, her products range from Rs 85 to Rs 5,000, spanning food, health, and personal care categories.
Looking ahead, Ponnarasi aims to introduce at least 10 new products each year and expand her global footprint further. Her long-term vision is to make moringa a part of everyday life while establishing a strong international identity for her brand.
