§1What this business is
Harra — also called hirda, harad or haritaki (Terminalia chebula) — is a forest fruit used widely in Ayurveda. The fruits are cleaned, graded, dried, dehulled and pressed in a hydraulic oil press; the oil is refined and filled into bottles. Buyers are Ayurvedic medicine and herbal product makers and herbal shops. The two PMEGP sample reports (Harra and Hirda) describe the same plant.
Capacity: 350 litres of oil a day on a 10-hour shift; year 1 at 40%.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone near harra-growing forests with links to Ayurvedic manufacturers.
Who it is not for
Someone without assured fruit supply or a buyer for the oil.
Advantages
- Harra grows wild in forests of central and eastern India — raw material near forest areas
- Steady demand from the Ayurveda industry
- GST on Ayurvedic and herbal products is low (5%, as the report notes)
- Fits forest-produce and tribal-area development
Drawbacks
- Fruit supply is seasonal and depends on forest collection
- Refinery equipment is the biggest cost (₹10 L)
- Buyers want tested quality and paperwork
- Small, specialised market
Skills you need
- Fruit grading and drying
- Oil pressing and refining
- Quality testing
- Selling to Ayurvedic makers
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple pressing, but raw material is seasonal and buyers are specialised.
§3Market
Who buys
- Ayurvedic medicine makers
- Herbal and cosmetic product makers
- Herbal and Ayurvedic shops
How it sells
- Direct supply to manufacturers
- Herbal wholesalers
- Own branded bottles
Good to know
- The reports cite rising demand for herbal and chemical-free products.
- Year-1 sales are ₹65.84 L (Harra) and ₹59.85 L (Hirda) at 40% capacity.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Seed cleaning and grading machine | 1 | ₹1,80,000 |
| Tray dryer | 1 | ₹60,000 |
| Seed dehulling machine | 1 | ₹1,20,000 |
| Hydraulic oil press | 1 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Multifunctional oil refinery equipment | 1 | ₹10,00,000 |
| Oil filling and packaging machine | 1 | ₹1,80,000 |
| Material handling and other equipment | lot | ₹1,00,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Harra Oil Processing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Harra (hirda) fruitsmain raw material; the reports do not print a rate per kg
- Packing materialbottles and cartons
From: PMEGP sample project report — Harra Oil Processing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan) · PMEGP sample project report — Hirda Oil Processing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Ayurvedic drug manufacturing licence from the State AYUSH licensing authority if the oil is sold as a medicine
- Forest-produce transit pass where state rules apply
- State pollution board consent
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
₹24.43–24.89 L projects fit PMEGP and CGTMSE; Stand-Up India for SC/ST or women founders. Above MUDRA's ₹20 L ceiling.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Hirda report ₹24.43 L: plant & machinery ₹17.90 L, furniture ₹1.00 L, working capital ₹5.53 L. Harra report ₹24.89 L: plant & machinery ₹17.90 L, furniture ₹1.00 L, working capital ₹5.99 L. Premises own or rented (not costed) in both.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.53–5.99 L (bank ₹4.98–5.39 L) — 15 days of fruit and 15 days of finished oil.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
The report covers the home market only; it does not discuss export.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Poor fruit season or collection limits
- Forest-produce transit rules
- Quality rejection by buyers
- Price swings for raw fruit
§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 harra (hirda) oil processing 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), 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 Harra (Hirda) Oil Processing?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
- PMEGP sample project report — Harra Oil Processing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- PMEGP sample project report — Hirda Oil Processing Unit (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.