Pickle (Achar) Making Business
अचार बनाने का व्यवसाय · लोणचे उद्योग
Make mango, lime, chilli and mixed pickles in season, cure them in drums and sell in jars and pouches to shops, caterers and direct customers.
Investment
₹6.2 lakh
Profit a month*
₹30,000
- Space
- 500 sq ft
- Staff
- 4 + you
*Operating profit before the loan instalment in year 2, at the assumed sales level. Change the assumptions in the calculator below.
A pickle unit buys raw mango, lime, chilli and other vegetables in season, cuts them, mixes them with salt, spices and oil, cures the mix in food-grade drums for some weeks and packs it in jars or pouches. The process needs little machinery and can start in a home kitchen, which is why many women's groups make pickle. Pickle keeps for months, so stock made in the mango season is sold through the year. Money is made on a recipe people come back for and on selling beyond your own lane. The hard parts are the cash needed to buy a year's raw mango in a few weeks, spoilage if hygiene or salt levels slip, and getting shelf space next to established brands.
Skills needed: A tested recipe, strict cleanliness and patience with curing. FSSAI labelling knowledge and shop-level selling. Training is offered by KVKs and state food-processing institutes.
Profit calculator
Change the numbers to match your town50 kg/day: Mixed pickles, packed (mango, lime, chilli)
Total investment
₹6.19 lakh
Your own money
₹61,903
Subsidy
—
Bank loan
₹5.57 lakh
Mudra Tarun
A typical month in year 2
| Sales | ₹2,25,000 |
| Raw material & packing | −₹1,30,000 |
| Electricity | −₹2,275 |
| Salaries | −₹44,100 |
| Rent | −₹8,400 |
| Other running costs | −₹10,500 |
| Operating profit | ₹29,725 |
| Loan instalment (EMI) | −₹12,990 |
| You keep each month | ₹16,735 |
After the loan is repaid, the EMI becomes your income too. Your own salary is not counted as a cost: the profit is your income.
Need this for a bank loan?
Turn these numbers into a full project report: cost of project, means of finance, 5-year profit and loss, balance sheet, repayment schedule, DSCR and break-even.
Make my project reportInvestment breakdown
| Machinery & equipment | Price |
|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetable cutting machineFor lime, mango and vegetable pieces; small units often cut by hand at first | ₹70,000₹70,000–₹1.75 lakh |
| Pickle mixerStainless steel, 10–100 kg/hr | ₹63,000₹63,000–₹1.6 lakh |
| Food-grade curing drums and barrels | ₹30,000 |
| Cap sealer / induction sealer and band sealer | ₹25,000 |
| Weighing scales (platform + table) | ₹9,000₹6,000–₹15,000 |
| Stainless-steel work tables × 2 | ₹20,000₹7,000–₹15,000 |
| Racks, pallets and utensils | ₹20,000 |
| Pickle filling machineadd-on | ₹85,000₹85,000–₹4.5 lakh |
| Machinery & equipment (without add-ons) | ₹2,37,000 |
| FSSAI, Udyam and other registrations | ₹4,000 |
| Label design, first lab test and jar samples | ₹20,000 |
| Electricity wiring and water fittings | ₹10,000 |
| Trial batches and samples | ₹10,000 |
| Working capital 45 days of raw material, 20 days of credit to buyers, 1 month of expenses | ₹3,38,030 |
| Total project cost | ₹6,19,030 |
Typical market prices as of October 2026, from supplier listings. Prices vary by brand, capacity and city; always get 2–3 quotes.
Cost and margin per unit
| Mixed pickles, packed (mango, lime, chilli) (per kg) | ₹ |
|---|---|
| Raw mango, lime and vegetables (0.7 kg at about ₹45/kg) | 31.50 |
| Edible oil (0.15 litre at ₹150) | 22.50 |
| Salt, chilli, mustard, methi and other spices | 25.00 |
| Jars or pouches, caps, labels and cartons | 25.00 |
| Material cost | 104.00 |
| Selling price | 180.00 |
| Margin before running costs | 76.00 (42%) |
Blended wholesale rate to shops for a local brand; check rates in your market. Retail and direct sales fetch more. Glass jars cost more than pouches.
Space, power and staff
500 sq ft
Rented shed · rent ≈ ₹8,000/month
Small-town rent. Can start at home. Needs a clean, dry curing and storage area away from direct sun.
3 kW, single-phase
Bill ≈ ₹3,500/month at full capacity
4 staff + you
- 3 × Cutting, mixing and packing helpers: ₹10,000
- 1 × Sales and delivery: ₹12,000
Licences and registrations
FSSAI registration / licence
mandatoryWhen: Before you sell · Cost: ₹100/yr for basic registration; state licence ₹2,000–5,000/yr above the turnover limit
The turnover limit for basic registration was reported to be raised in 2026. Check the current limit on foscos.fssai.gov.in.
Udyam registration
recommendedWhen: Before applying for a loan · Cost: Free
Apply only on udyamregistration.gov.in.
GST registration
if applicableWhen: When turnover crosses the registration limit, or a buyer insists · Cost: Free
Confirm the current GST rate for pickles (HSN 2001) and the registration limit with a CA; food rates were revised in 2025.
Legal Metrology packer registration
if applicableWhen: Before selling pre-packed jars with MRP · Cost: Varies by state
Shop and Establishment registration
if applicableWhen: When you rent a shed or hire staff · Cost: Small fee; varies by state
How it works
- Wash, dry fully and cut the fruit or vegetables.
- Mix with salt and turmeric and rest so that water comes out.
- Roast and grind spices; mix with the pieces and oil by recipe.
- Cure in covered food-grade drums for the time the recipe needs.
- Fill clean, dry jars or pouches, top with oil, seal and label.
- Keep a sample of every batch until its shelf life ends.
Loan route
Mudra loan (Tarun)
Own money ₹61,903 · Loan ₹5.57 lakh · EMI ≈ ₹12,990
No collateral, no subsidy.
How Mudra worksPMEGP (new units)
Subsidy ₹92,855 (general, urban) to ₹2.17 lakh (special category, rural). EMI ≈ ₹10,825–₹8,660.
Own money 5–10%. Subsidy is held as a 3-year deposit, then adjusted against the loan.
How PMEGP worksAssumes 10.5% interest, 5 years including a 6-month moratorium. PMEGP was approved up to FY 2025-26. Check on the KVIC PMEGP portal that applications are open before you plan around the subsidy.
No collateral and no third-party guarantee (covered by the Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units).
Who buys and how to sell
Buyers
- Kirana and general stores
- Hotels, dhabas, messes and caterers
- Direct household customers
- Supermarkets and speciality stores
- Online marketplaces and gift buyers
Ways to sell
- Shop-to-shop sales with small jars
- Bulk tubs for hotels and caterers
- Exhibitions, self-help group fairs and society stalls
- WhatsApp and marketplace orders
Season: Sales are steady with a rise in summer and before festivals. Production is seasonal: raw mango in April–June, lime and other items at their own harvests.
Competition: National and regional brands, plus many home makers. Regional recipes and homemade taste are what small units sell.
Risks and how to handle them
A batch spoils (fungus, off smell) from moisture or low salt
Dry everything fully, follow tested salt and oil levels, and keep batch records.
Money locked in a year's raw mango and oil bought in season
Plan working capital for the season, and add products made from year-round vegetables.
Leaking jars and oil-stained labels returned by shops
Use good caps with induction seals and test packs in transport before bulk dispatch.
Label or FSSAI non-compliance
Print ingredients, batch, dates, FSSAI number and nutrition information correctly; get one lab test per product.
Tips from the trade
- Start with the two or three pickles your region eats most.
- Bulk 5 kg tubs to messes and caterers give volume with almost no packaging cost.
- Do not skip curing time to meet an order; early packing is the usual cause of spoilage.
Questions people ask
Can I start a pickle business from my home kitchen?+
Yes, many do. You still need FSSAI registration, clean separate utensils and proper labels. Move to a separate room or shed once you supply shops regularly.
How long does pickle last?+
Oil-based pickles made with correct salt and hygiene commonly keep for six months to a year, but shelf life depends on your recipe and packing. Test it before printing a best-before date.
How much investment is needed to start a pickle (achar) making business?+
About ₹6.19 lakh for a small unit: ₹2.37 lakh for machinery and equipment, ₹44,000 for set-up costs and ₹3.38 lakh as working capital (stock, credit to buyers and one month of expenses). Prices as of October 2026.
How much profit can a pickle (achar) making business make per month?+
At 50% of capacity, sales are about ₹2.25 lakh a month and operating profit about ₹29,725 before the loan instalment. After an EMI of about ₹12,990, the owner keeps about ₹16,735 a month until the loan is repaid. These are estimates; your prices, rent and sales decide the real figure.
Which machines are needed for pickle (achar) making?+
Fruit and vegetable cutting machine (₹70,000–₹1.75 lakh); Pickle mixer (₹63,000–₹1.6 lakh).
Can I get a Mudra loan or PMEGP subsidy for pickle (achar) making?+
With a project cost of about ₹6.19 lakh, the bank loan of about ₹5.57 lakh falls under Mudra Tarun. Mudra has no subsidy. As a new unit you may instead apply under PMEGP, where the subsidy is 15–35% of the project cost (up to about ₹2.17 lakh here for a special-category applicant in a rural area). PMEGP was approved up to FY 2025-26. Check on the KVIC PMEGP portal that applications are open before you plan around the subsidy.
What licences are required for pickle (achar) making?+
Mandatory: FSSAI registration / licence. Depending on your set-up you may also need: Udyam registration, GST registration, Legal Metrology packer registration, Shop and Establishment registration.
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Sources
- IndiaMART: pickle mixer prices
- IndiaMART: Saifi Engineering Works pickle mixers and cutters
- IndiaMART: pickle filling machine prices
- FSSAI FoSCoS (registration and licensing)
Prices as of October 2026. Prices here come from online listings and published guides and have not yet been confirmed with local suppliers. Profit figures are estimates from the assumptions above, not a promise of income.
Spotted an outdated price? Tell us. Data for this page: HowIndiaEarns.