Building Trust Across Farms, Markets, and Borders
Kader Arafath
Owner
AKS Trading Corporation.
Building Trust Across Farms, Markets, and Borders
Kader Arafath
Owner
AKS Trading Corporation.
Legacy can be inherited. Leadership must be earned. Kader Arafath embodies both. As owner of AKS Trading Corporation and managing partner of Relish Jaggery, he leads one of the most influential jaggery trading enterprises in South India’s Kongu region. In this volatile commodity market, the company not just competes but also influences pricing, built on scale, trust, and uncompromising quality.
Stepping into the business at a pivotal time, Kader balanced legacy with modernisation. He introduced ERP-led systems, sharper procurement discipline, and structured supply chain processes to strengthen agility and resilience. Today, the enterprise responds swiftly to tariff shifts, export surges, and regulatory changes without compromising standards.
From deepening farmer relationships to expanding exports across the Middle East and the US, Kader leads with steadiness and strategic clarity, thus transforming a traditional legacy business into a technology-enabled, globally competitive operation.
In this exclusive interview with TradeFlock, Kader shares insights into his journey and work.
You had a stable job in the US. What prompted your return to India in 2014?
Life sometimes makes decisions for you. In early 2014, my father’s unexpected passing forced me to choose between a stable engineering career in the US and returning to India to lead our family’s agricultural enterprise.
Our decades-old business, rooted in sugarcane cultivation and jaggery manufacturing, plays a significant role in regional pricing across South India. Walking away from a settled life abroad was difficult, but responsibility toward our farmers, employees, and customers guided me home. I stepped in during 2015 and, by 2018, launched Relish Jaggery to expand into branded markets and strengthen our footprint.
What was the biggest challenge you faced when taking over the family business?
The biggest challenge was earning trust. My father had built strong relationships over decades, and that trust was not automatically transferred to me. Farmers questioned whether pricing and relationships would remain fair. Employees and customers were equally cautious about my ability to lead.
I travelled extensively, met stakeholders personally, and listened more than I spoke. It took nearly two years to stabilise the supply chain and rebuild confidence. I learnt that trust cannot be inherited; it must be consistently earned.
What systems or habits help you stay ahead in such a dynamic industry?
Awareness is my strongest system. I closely track national budgets, trade policies, tariff structures, competitor movements, and global food safety norms right from FDA standards to stringent regulations. Structured checklists keep me proactive. With standardised processes in place, I focus on strategy and relationships rather than micromanagement. Every market or policy shift is an opportunity to accelerate growth and strengthen our competitive edge.
What gives you the greatest sense of purpose today?
Responsibility and continuity give me the greatest sense of purpose. This is more than a business; it is a five-decade legacy supporting farmers, employees, exporters, and consumers. No matter the disruption, we continue because people depend on us. I am driven by balancing tradition with modernisation, preserving trust while scaling globally, and guiding people forward with clarity.
What advice would you give aspiring leaders entering legacy businesses?
Listen more than you speak. Earn trust before demanding performance. Adapt before attempting change. Embrace technology early to scale. Above all, be patient; growth is a process, and when the foundation is strong, results will follow.
How did shifting from corporate to agriculture reshape your leadership?
The shift was profound. In the US, I operated within structured, technology-driven systems alongside highly skilled teams. Returning to India meant working closely with farmers, blue-collar workers, and long-serving employees who had built decades of trust with my father.
I quickly understood that I could not replicate my corporate leadership style here. Adaptability became my greatest lesson. A leader must understand the environment and mindset of the people he leads. I chose empathy, clarity, and patience by integrating into the ecosystem first, then gradually elevating it.
How do you manage supply chain volatility and global trade fluctuations?
We operate in food, and food must move, regardless of geopolitical or trade disruptions. While tariffs and policies may fluctuate, our responsibility to supply remains constant. For example, when US tariffs dropped from 25% to 18%, our orders doubled within a week.
Preparedness is key. We maintain flexible procurement, scalable production, and inventory readiness. Pricing may change, but quality never does; that’s non-negotiable. By offering multiple SKUs and maintaining strong supplier relationships, we ensure resilience and reliability across global markets.
Define your leadership style.
Versatility defines my leadership. I stay balanced in victory and defeat, focusing on process over emotion. Inspired by MS Dhoni’s calm approach, I prioritise discipline, patience, adaptability, and consistent execution to drive sustainable, long-term success with my team.
How are you leveraging technology and AI in agriculture and supply chain operations?
Technology is the backbone of scalability. In agriculture, AI holds immense promise, from soil analysis and crop planning to yield optimisation and climate forecasting. While adoption in India is still evolving, its impact will be transformative.
Within our company, a fully integrated ERP system manages procurement to delivery, with real-time access even while travelling. AI automates administrative tasks, allowing us to redeploy talent into sales. Sustainable growth today demands wholehearted digital adoption.
