§1What this business is
The centre visits farms, identifies pests, diseases, nematodes and weeds, and writes a prescription. It sprays fields with its own power and hand sprayers, and can take up plant protection from seed to harvest as a package under an agreement with the farmer. It multiplies predators and parasites such as Trichogramma, and stocks neem seed, cake and oil and biological agents like NPV, Trichoderma and Bt. It also offers rodent control, control of pests in stored grain and help during pest outbreaks. The model does not include sale of chemical pesticides, because that is controlled by law.
Capacity: A command area of 30,000–40,000 ha with multiple crops; the model suggests one unit per taluka to start with.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An agriculture graduate trained in entomology or plant pathology who is ready for daily field visits.
Who it is not for
Someone who wants a shop-based business with no field work.
Advantages
- Income from several services — advice, spraying, bio-agents and rodent control
- Bio-control and neem products need no pesticide dealer's licence in the model's plan
- Package contracts from seed to harvest give steady work in the season
- Fruit, vegetable, cotton, pulse and oilseed areas have strong demand
Drawbacks
- First-year income of ₹1,30,000 is below the recurring cost
- Farmers often take free advice from pesticide shops
- Live bio-agents have a short life and need cold storage
- Work is seasonal and peaks during pest outbreaks
Skills you need
- Identifying pests, diseases and nematodes in the field
- Safe and correct spraying
- Rearing Trichogramma and other bio-agents
- Winning farmers' trust and writing clear prescriptions
Why difficulty 3/5: Needs real plant protection knowledge and daily field work; income builds slowly over three years.
§3Market
Who buys
- Farmers growing fruits, vegetables, pulses, oilseeds and cotton
- Sericulture rearing houses needing spray services
- Farmers and grain stores needing rodent control and fumigation advice
How it sells
- Regular farm visits and prescriptions
- Seed-to-harvest package agreements with farmers
- Sale of Trichogramma egg cards and neem-based formulations from the centre
Good to know
- The model says millet-growing areas have less potential than commercial crop areas.
- Sale of chemical pesticides is not part of the model because it is controlled by law.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Power sprayers | 4 | ₹25,000 |
| Hand sprayers and dusters | 10 | ₹20,000 |
| Refrigerators and stabilisers | 2 each | ₹40,000 |
| Compound microscope | 1 | ₹15,000 |
| Audio-visual aids, colour projector and materials | — | ₹20,000 |
| Two-wheeler and autorickshaw | — | ₹1,50,000 |
From: MANAGE Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres model project — Plant Protection Services Centre — private guide — confirm locally
- Neem seed, cake and oilopening stock ₹25,000
- Cultures for mass multiplication of predators and parasites (such as Trichogramma)₹93,000 provided in the model
- NPV, Trichoderma and Btstock of ₹25,000, bought as pest outbreaks demand
From: MANAGE Agri-Clinics & Agri-Business Centres model project — Plant Protection Services Centre — private guide — confirm locally
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- Licence under the Insecticides Act from the State Agriculture Department if you stock, sell or commercially apply chemical pesticides
- Registration of bio-pesticide products under the Insecticides Act where it applies
- Trade licence from the local body
- Vehicle registration and driving licence for the two-wheeler and autorickshaw
Start it in your state
Pick your state: today’s cost, central + state subsidy, raw material, land and help, on one page.
§6Schemes & subsidies
At ₹6.75 lakh the centre is within PMEGP's ₹20 lakh limit for service units; a Mudra loan can also cover it. The model was written for the Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres scheme for agriculture graduates — check its current terms with the bank.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Rented building of 1,200 sq ft, 10 months' advance at ₹3,000 a month ₹30,000; 4 power sprayers ₹25,000; 10 hand sprayers and dusters ₹20,000; 2 refrigerators and 2 stabilisers ₹40,000; compound microscope ₹15,000; stock of neem seed, cake and oil ₹25,000; mass multiplication of predators and parasites ₹93,000; stock of NPV, Trichoderma and Bt ₹25,000; audio-visual aids ₹20,000; lab furniture ₹15,000; two-wheeler and autorickshaw ₹1,50,000; office equipment ₹67,000; first year's recurring cost capitalised ₹1,50,000 = ₹6,75,000.
Working capital: Recurring cost is ₹1,50,000 to ₹2,46,000 a year; the first year's ₹1,50,000 is capitalised in the project cost. Margin 15% (₹1,01,200), bank loan ₹5,73,800 at an assumed 14%, repaid over 6 years including 1 year's grace.
Year not printed on the model project — costs are old; check current prices.
§8Export potential
A local farm service; there is no goods export in this business.
§9Risks — where people fail
- A wrong diagnosis that costs a farmer the crop
- Farmers not paying for advice
- Bio-agent cultures dying in power cuts
- Health hazards to spray workers
§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 plant protection services centre (crop pest advice and spraying) 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, Licence under the Insecticides Act from the State Agriculture Department if you stock, sell or commercially apply chemical pesticides), 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
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Plant Protection Services Centre (Crop Pest Advice and Spraying)?
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.