§1What this business is
Beeswax is melted, cooled into sheets and passed through a comb foundation mill that embosses hexagonal cells. Beekeepers fix these sheets in hive frames so bees build combs fast and spend less honey making wax — bees use about 10–15 kg of honey to make 1 kg of wax. A tiny unit in a 200 sq ft shed.
Capacity: 3,515 kg of comb foundation sheets a year.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A beekeeper, beekeepers' society or SHG in a honey-producing area.
Who it is not for
Someone with no link to beekeepers.
Advantages
- Very small investment (₹1.83 L)
- Every modern beekeeper needs foundation sheets
- Fits alongside an apiary or a beekeepers' society
Drawbacks
- Small income on its own
- Depends on a supply of clean beeswax
- Adulterated wax gives poor sheets that bees reject
Skills you need
- Wax melting and filtering
- Running the embossing mill
- Selling to beekeepers
Why difficulty 1/5: Tiny, simple unit; success depends on links with beekeepers.
§3Market
Who buys
- Beekeepers using modern box hives
- Beekeepers' societies and FPOs
- Bee-equipment dealers
How it sells
- Direct sale to beekeepers
- Through beekeeping training centres and societies
Good to know
- The profile says foundation sheets give combs a strong base and save time and honey.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Comb foundation mill, wax melting unit and cooling water tank | 1 set | ₹75,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Comb Foundation Unit (PMEGP)
- Beeswaxraw material ₹3,00,000 a year at full use
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST (if turnover crosses the limit)
- Trade licence
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP (KVIC profile), MUDRA (Shishu/Kishor loan) and, in UP, CM-YUVA (project up to ₹5 lakh) fit; CGTMSE covers the guarantee.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Building shed 200 sq ft ₹50,000 + equipment (comb foundation mill, wax melting unit, cooling water tank) ₹75,000 = capital ₹1,25,000; working capital ₹58,000; total ₹1,83,000.
Working capital: Working capital ₹58,000 per cycle, mostly for wax.
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: Not verified yet
- The profile gives no HS code; a unit this size serves local beekeepers.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Wax price rises
- Wax adulteration
- Seasonal demand
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working comb foundation sheet unit (beekeeping) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST (if turnover crosses the limit)), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
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 Comb Foundation Sheet Unit (Beekeeping)?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.