§1What this business is
Green, full-grown papayas are cut lengthwise early in the morning and the milky latex is collected in steel trays; each fruit is tapped about 6 times in 16 days. The latex is sieved, mixed with potassium metabisulphite and dried in a vacuum shelf drier at about 55 °C for 4–5 hours. Dried flakes are kept in plastic containers; for BPC-grade papain they are powdered and mixed with lactose. Buyers are breweries, meat tenderiser makers, pharma, leather and detergent units, and exporters.
Capacity: Profile 1: 430–450 MT a year (as printed). Profile 2: 90 MT a year of BPC-grade papain. 100 kg of good latex gives 25–30 kg of BPC-grade papain.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A papaya grower or farmer group with orchards nearby and a buyer lined up for crude or BPC papain.
Who it is not for
Someone far from papaya orchards — latex must be dried the same day.
Advantages
- Forward step for papaya growers — green fruit earns more
- Many buyer industries: breweries, meat, pharma, leather, detergents
- India exports about 90% of its purified papain (profile 1)
- Simple process: tap, sieve, dry, pack
Drawbacks
- Papain loses strength above 20 °C — cool storage and transport needed
- Shelf life only 5–6 months
- Latex must come from orchards close by
- Profile 2 breaks even only at 75% of sales
Skills you need
- Tapping green papaya without spoiling the fruit
- Vacuum drying and moisture control
- Enzyme activity testing
- Export paperwork
Why difficulty 3/5: Simple process, but heat-sensitive product and large working capital.
§3Market
Who buys
- Breweries (chill-proofing beer)
- Meat tenderiser and food makers
- Pharma companies
- Leather, silk, detergent and fish-processing units
How it sells
- Direct supply to industries
- Exporters
Good to know
- Profile 1: India makes about 150 tonnes of papain a year; about 35% is BPC grade.
- Profile 1: 90% of purified papain and 45% of BPC grade is exported.
- Keep papain below 20 °C in transport; shelf life 5–6 months.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum shelf drier | 1 | ₹2.80 lakh |
| Dehumidifier | 1 | ₹1.05 lakh |
| Hammer mill | 1 | ₹1.40 lakh |
| Blender | 1 | ₹1.25 lakh |
| Packing machine | 1 | ₹0.80 lakh |
| Storage tanks | 5 | ₹1.35 lakh |
| Material handling equipment | lot | ₹0.55 lakh |
| Misc. tools | lot | ₹0.65 lakh |
| 5 HP pump-set with hose | 2 | — |
| Aluminium and SS trays, scales, knives, sieves | lot | — |
From: SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Papain from Papaya (2018) — private guide — confirm locally · SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Papaya Proteinase Enzyme (2018) — private guide — confirm locally
- Latex of green, full-grown papayaeach fruit tapped about 6 times in 16 days; 100 kg latex gives 25–30 kg BPC papain
- Potassium metabisulphitepreservative mixed before drying
- Lactose powderto dilute dried papain to BPC grade
- Plastic containersmetal containers reduce enzyme activity
From: SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Papain from Papaya (2018) — private guide — confirm locally
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST
- FSSAI licence (the profiles refer to the old FPO licence)
- Food & Drug Administration approval (profile 2)
- State Pollution Control Board consent
- IEC for exports
§6Schemes & subsidies
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
Stand-Up India for SC/ST and women founders (loans ₹10 L–₹1 crore); CGTMSE for a loan without collateral. Both profiles are above the PMEGP ₹50 L limit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Profile 1 (papain from papaya): land ₹10 L + building ₹8.50 L + plant & machinery ₹9.85 L + furniture & lab ₹0.95 L + preliminary ₹0.99 L + working-capital margin ₹56.83 L = ₹87.12 L. Profile 2 (papaya proteinase enzyme): land & building ₹99 L (land 2,200 sq m ₹5.50 L, land development ₹11 L, 1,500 sq m building ₹75 L, contingency ₹7.50 L) + plant & machinery ₹120 L (incl. 20% contingency) + misc assets ₹30 L + pre-operative ₹29.10 L = ₹278.10 L.
Working capital: Profile 1: ₹56.83 L — inventories ₹28.42 L, receivables ₹14.21 L, overheads ₹14.21 L; bank share ₹31.97 L. Profile 2: ₹69.46 L in year 1 (stock ₹15.46 L, debtors ₹54 L), margin ₹17.36 L.
Stand-Up Mitra profile from 2018 — machinery and material prices will be higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Ask DGFT which export promotion council registers enzyme exporters
- 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
- Loss of enzyme activity in heat or metal containers
- Papaya disease or crop failure
- Buyer rejection on activity
- Money stuck with buyers (debtors ₹54 L in profile 2)
§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 papain (papaya enzyme) making unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, 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 Papain (Papaya Enzyme) Making?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
- SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Papain from Papaya (2018)
- SIDBI Stand-Up Mitra project profile — Papaya Proteinase Enzyme (2018)
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.