§1What this business is
Malta (Citrus sinensis) is a winter citrus grown at 1,000–2,000 m across Garhwal and Kumaon and is usually sold fresh or as squash. The unit washes, partly peels and slices the fruit, optionally blanches it, dries it in an electric tray drier at 50–70 °C, then cools and packs it. Dried malta is sold as a snack and in fruit mixes, ground into powder for drinks and herbal teas, used in bakery and sweets, and its peel goes into soaps, face scrubs and masks.
Capacity: About 30 tonnes of fresh malta in the season at 100% capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A fruit cooperative, FPO or trader in the malta belt who can buy fruit cheaply in season and find bakery, beverage or cosmetic buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone relying on the printed profit or without buyers lined up.
Advantages
- Malta is a local fruit that often goes unsold or cheap in winter
- Low machinery cost (₹1.45 L of machines)
- Peel and pulp both have uses — food and cosmetics
- Vitamin-C-rich product fits health trends
Drawbacks
- Very large working capital for a short winter season
- The profit figures printed are not believable
- Dried malta is a new product most buyers do not know
- Citrus peel can turn bitter if drying is not controlled
Skills you need
- Buying and grading citrus in season
- Drying control and moisture testing
- Product development (powder, peel, slices)
- B2B selling to food and cosmetic firms
Why difficulty 3/5: Easy process, but heavy seasonal buying and an untested market for the product.
§3Market
Who buys
- Restaurants, eateries, dhabas and caterers
- Beverage and herbal-tea makers
- Bakery and confectionery units
- Cosmetic and personal-care makers (peel)
How it sells
- Direct supply to food and cosmetic firms
- Grocery and health-food shops
- Online stores
Good to know
- The report says manual and sun drying give poor quality, so machine drying is preferred.
- It sees export interest but says the planned capacity does not justify exports.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Farming tools | lot | ₹5,000 |
| Fruit peeling machine (automatic) | 2 | ₹50,000 (total as printed) |
| Electrically operated tray drier, 48 trays | 1 | ₹70,000 |
| Weighing scales, sealing machine, etc. | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Washing tank | 1 | ₹20,000 |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Dehydrated Malta Production
- Fresh malta fruitabout 30 tonnes in the winter season at 100% capacity
- Water and optional preservativesfor washing and treatment
- Food-grade inner bags and large outer bagspolythene or vacuum-sealed packing
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Dehydrated Malta Production
§5Licences & registration
- FSSAI licence (report)
- Trade licence (report)
- GST (report)
- Udyam / MSME registration (report)
- Legal Metrology registration for packed goods
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMFMECentralUnclear35% subsidy, up to ₹10 lakh
- AIFCentralUnclear3% interest subvention, up to ₹2 crore
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMFME can subsidise the machinery side; AIF supports primary processing and storage; CGTMSE gives a collateral-free guarantee. At ₹67.13 L the project is above PMEGP's ₹50 L ceiling.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Building (rented) ₹0.30 L + plant & machinery ₹1.65 L + equipment & furniture ₹0.80 L + misc. fixed assets ₹0.02 L + preliminary ₹0.05 L + working capital ₹64.31 L = ₹67.13 L. Finance: own ₹26.85 L, bank ₹40.28 L.
Working capital: ₹64.31 L — almost the whole project, to buy fruit in the winter season.
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: APEDA
- Check the exact 8-digit code in the DGFT ITC-HS list before shipping.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Seasonal supply and price of malta
- Unsold stock tying up working capital
- Moisture or bitterness spoiling batches
- Low market awareness
§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 dehydrated malta (hill orange) production unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI licence (report), Trade licence (report)), 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 Dehydrated Malta (Hill Orange) Production?
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.