§1What this business is

Fresh prawns arrive on ice from fishermen. They are sorted by size, washed, cooked until pink and firm, dried to 20–30% moisture, peeled, graded and packed in 1 kg food-grade bags. Dried prawns are eaten as they are and are also used to make prawn chips, wafers and crackers. The report names MPEDA and the Seafood Exporters Association of India as supporting exports of dried prawn products.

Capacity: 800 kg of dried prawns a day over 300 days; 2,16,000 kg a year at full capacity after 10% wastage, in 1 kg packets. Year 1 at 30% (64,800 kg), rising to 50% (1,08,000 kg) in year 5.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

Someone in a coastal or aquaculture belt with links to fishermen or prawn farmers and to seafood traders.

Who it is not for

Someone far from a steady prawn supply, or not ready for strict food-safety work.

Advantages

  • Dried prawns keep far longer than fresh prawns
  • Demand also comes from makers of prawn chips, wafers and crackers
  • Export support exists through MPEDA
  • A full machine line cuts hand labour in cooking, peeling and grading

Drawbacks

  • Machinery alone is ₹30.30 L of the ₹39.96 L project
  • Fresh prawns spoil fast — supply must be on ice and processed the same day
  • Strict hygiene is needed; poor drying or pests ruin a batch
  • Prawn catch and prices change with the season

Skills you need

  • Buying and judging fresh prawns
  • Cooking and drying to the right moisture and salt level
  • Food-safety and pest control
  • Selling to traders, snack makers and exporters

Why difficulty 4/5: A perishable raw material, costly machines and strict food-safety rules.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Seafood traders and wholesalers
  • Makers of prawn chips, wafers and crackers
  • Seafood exporters
  • Households and retail shops

How it sells

  • Wholesale fish markets
  • Direct supply to snack makers
  • Merchant exporters

Good to know

  • The report links demand to ready-to-eat foods and prawn snacks.
  • Year-1 sales in the report are ₹133.81 L at 30% capacity, at ₹210 per 1 kg packet.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Prawn cleaning machine1₹3,50,000
Prawn cooking machine1₹3,84,000
Prawn cooling machine1₹3,20,000
Prawn drying machine (hot-air)1₹3,06,000
Prawn peeling and de-heading machine1₹6,35,000
Prawn grading machine1₹7,65,000
Packaging machine1₹2,20,000
Material handling and other equipment (trolley, weighing machine)lot₹50,000

From: NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Dried Prawns Unit (2022)

  • Fresh prawnsdelivered on ice by fishermen; costed at ₹120 a kg in year 1
  • Salt, spices and condimentsminor ingredients
  • Food-grade plastic bags1 kg packets

From: NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Dried Prawns Unit (2022)

Suppliers in Building Business Bazaar

Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), Cochin · Kochi →

§5Licences & registration

  1. FSSAI licence
  2. Udyam registration
  3. GST registration
  4. State Pollution Control Board consent (wastewater)
  5. MPEDA registration and Export Inspection Council approval if you export
  6. Legal Metrology registration for packed goods

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMFME fits first (the DPR was written for it; the report caps the subsidy at ₹10 L). PMEGP and CGTMSE fit a ₹39.96 L project; MUDRA covers loans up to ₹20 L.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹30.30 L + miscellaneous fixed assets ₹2.00 L + working capital ₹7.66 L = ₹39.96 L. Premises rented (not costed).

Working capital: Working capital ₹7.66 L, of which bank finance ₹6.89 L; 5 days of raw material and finished stock, 14 days' credit to buyers, 7 days' credit from suppliers.

NIFTEM-K model DPR for PMFME, published 2022 (no year printed inside) — 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

0306.95Shrimps and prawns, other than live, fresh, chilled or frozen (includes dried)

Export council / board: MPEDA

  • The report says MPEDA and the Seafood Exporters Association of India support exports of dried prawn products.
  • Fishery exports need approval from the Export Inspection Council.
  • Confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker before shipping.
  • You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Spoilage before processing
  • Seasonal gaps in prawn supply
  • Batch rejection for moisture, salt or microbes
  • Export rules and buyer audits

§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 dried prawns unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI licence, Udyam registration), 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 Dried Prawns Unit?

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

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Dried Prawns Unit (2022)

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