§1What this business is

Camphor powder is mixed by hand with hexamine, pressed into tablets on a multi-die kapoor machine and packed in 100 g packets. Most demand comes from daily worship; camphor is also used in medicines, skin and hair care, and to keep insects away.

Capacity: Machine rated 20 kg an hour, run at 10 kg an hour: 80 kg a day, 24,000 kg a year; 22,800 kg after 5% wastage = 2,28,000 packets of 100 g.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

Someone with contacts among puja-goods shops, kirana wholesalers and temple suppliers.

Who it is not for

Someone who expects high margins without building a brand or a distributor network.

Advantages

  • Steady demand all year from worship
  • Small space and low machine cost
  • Simple process that is easy to learn
  • Can be sold under your own brand in local markets

Drawbacks

  • Raw material is most of the cost, so profit per packet is small
  • Camphor powder prices move up and down
  • Many local brands compete on price
  • Camphor catches fire easily — storage needs care

Skills you need

  • Buying camphor powder at the right price
  • Running the machine and caring for dies
  • Packing and branding
  • Wholesale selling

Why difficulty 2/5: Simple machines and process; selling at a fair price is the real work.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Puja-goods and kirana shops
  • Temples and religious suppliers
  • Medicine, skin-care and hair-care makers

How it sells

  • Wholesalers and distributors
  • Retail packets under your own brand

Good to know

  • The report cites a camphor tablet market of US$ 93.9 million in 2016, expected to reach US$ 145.6 million by 2022.
  • Machine prices in the report exclude GST.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Kapoor making machine, 20 dies (20–25 kg an hour) — used in the report1₹1,45,000
Kapoor making machine, 10–12 dies (12–15 kg an hour) — option—₹90,000
Kapoor making machine, 5 dies (6–8 kg an hour) — option—₹60,000
Automatic tablet packing machine — used in the report1₹1,55,000
Manual tablet packing machine — option—₹22,000
Generator set, 5 KVA1₹40,000
Furniture and equipment—₹20,000

From: PMEGP sample project report — Camphor Tablet (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

  • Camphor powder₹800–1,000 per kg
  • Hexamine₹130–180 per kg
  • Wax₹130–150 (as printed)

From: PMEGP sample project report — Camphor Tablet (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam
  2. GST
  3. Trade licence
  4. Fire safety NOC
  5. Legal Metrology registration for packed goods
  6. Trademark for your brand (optional)

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMEGP fits the ₹7.47 L project; a MUDRA loan covers this size; CGTMSE for a loan without collateral.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹3.54 L (20-die kapoor machine ₹1,45,000 + automatic tablet packing machine ₹1,55,000, plus 18% GST), furniture & other assets ₹0.60 L, working capital ₹3.33 L = ₹7.47 L. Premises rented.

Working capital: Working capital ₹3.33 L; bank limit ₹3.00 L. Camphor powder costs ₹800–1,000 a kg, so stock ties up money.

Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export

2914Ketones and quinones (camphor falls in this heading)

Export council / board: CHEMEXCIL (Basic Chemicals, Cosmetics and Dyes Export Promotion Council)

  • Confirm the exact ITC-HS code for camphor tablets on the DGFT site.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Raw material price rise
  • Fire in the store
  • Impure powder lowers quality
  • Price war with local brands

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working camphor tablet (kapoor) making unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect

§12Watch

There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.

Want to start Camphor Tablet (Kapoor) Making?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. PMEGP sample project report — Camphor Tablet (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.