§1What this business is
Ragi flour is mixed with water, oil and spices into dough, sheeted, cut into chips, fried or baked, seasoned in a drum, cooled and packed in moisture-proof pouches. Flavours include plain salted, tangy masala, herbed, cheesy and chilli; baked low-oil variants target diabetic and fitness buyers. Sales go to supermarkets, kirana and tourist shops, schools, hostels, hotels, corporate canteens and online marketplaces.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A food entrepreneur with snack-distribution links who wants a millet brand.
Who it is not for
Someone without a plan to get shelf space and distributors.
Advantages
- Millet snacks ride the health trend after the International Year of Millets 2023
- Ragi is grown by hill farmers and FPOs in Almora, Pauri, Chamoli and Bageshwar
- Baked variants reach diabetic and fitness buyers
- Flour scraps and oil residue sell as cattle feed
Drawbacks
- Snack shelves are crowded with big brands
- Ragi dough is harder to sheet and fry evenly than potato or wheat
- Short shelf life if packing is poor
- 2,00,000 packets a month needs wide distribution
Skills you need
- Snack recipe and texture control
- Frying and baking process control
- FSSAI hygiene and labelling
- Distributor and retail management
Why difficulty 3/5: Making the chips is simple; winning shelf space against big brands is hard.
§3Market
Who buys
- Supermarkets, kirana and tourist shops
- Schools, hostels and corporate canteens
- Hotels
- Health-conscious online buyers
How it sells
- Distributors and retail
- Amazon and Flipkart
- Institutional supply
- Gift hampers and festival packs
Good to know
- The profile plans ragi nachos, multigrain chips and ragi crackers later.
- Batches are tested for moisture, texture, taste and microbial safety.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Dough mixing machine | 1 | — |
| Sheeting and cutting machine | 2 | — |
| Frying unit with oil filtration system | 2 | — |
| Baking oven (for baked variants) | 1 | — |
| Seasoning and coating drum | 1 | — |
| Pouch packing and sealing machine | 2 | — |
| Quality testing instruments (moisture and safety) | 1 set | — |
| Machinery & tools in total | — | ₹15,00,000 |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Raagi-Based Chips Manufacturing Unit
- Ragi (finger millet) flourfrom farmers, FPOs and cooperatives in Almora, Pauri, Chamoli and Bageshwar
- Edible oil
- Natural spices and seasoning blendsfrom local mandis
- Moisture-proof packaging filmfrom Haridwar and Rudrapur industrial areas
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Raagi-Based Chips Manufacturing Unit
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- FSSAI licence
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Legal Metrology registration for pre-packed goods
- Fire NOC from the local fire department, where required
- State Pollution Control Board consent where the state requires it
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMFMECentralUnclear35% subsidy, up to ₹10 lakh
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
The profile names PMFME (35% credit-linked subsidy for micro food units) and NABARD; PMEGP also fits a ₹45 L project; MUDRA up to ₹20 L; CGTMSE for a collateral-free loan.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Land & shed ₹10 L + machinery & tools ₹15 L + initial raw material ₹4 L + training ₹2 L + branding & marketing ₹3 L + first-year salaries ₹7 L + utilities ₹2 L + contingency ₹2 L = ₹45 L.
Working capital: Initial raw material ₹4 L and one year of salaries ₹7 L are inside the project cost. Finance: 25% promoter, 60% term loan from a bank or NABARD, 15% subsidy under PMFME or state MSME policy.
Year not printed on the profile — check current machinery and material prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: APEDA
- Millet snacks are classed in Chapter 19 or 21 depending on the recipe — confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT and APEDA registration for processed foods.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Rancidity and moisture pick-up
- Price war with big snack brands
- Ragi price and supply swings
- Distributor credit and returns
§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 ragi (finger millet) chips 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, Udyam registration), 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 Ragi (Finger Millet) Chips?
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.