§1What this business is
Tarkashi means setting thin metal wire into grooves cut in hard wood, usually sheesham, then hammering it flush and polishing. The unit makes jewellery boxes, name plaques, trays, lamps, tables and other decorative pieces. The report is based on the Mainpuri craft, which is the district's One District One Product (ODOP) item.
Capacity: 60 pieces a day on a 10-hour shift; year 1 planned at 60% of capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An artisan family or craft entrepreneur near Mainpuri who can manage skilled workers and sell at fairs and to décor shops.
Who it is not for
Someone who wants machine-made volume; this is handwork where quality decides price.
Advantages
- A known craft with ODOP support in Mainpuri, so training and fairs are easier to reach
- Small machinery cost (₹3 lakh) — most of the value is skilled handwork
- Pieces sell as gifts and décor, where buyers pay for design
- Can sell at fairs such as Surajkund and Lucknow's Shilpgram, as the report notes
Drawbacks
- Needs trained inlay artisans; untrained hands spoil wood and wire
- Slow, careful work limits how many pieces you can make
- Sheesham wood price and supply move with forest rules
- Sales depend on fairs, gift seasons and emporium orders
Skills you need
- Wire inlay and wood finishing
- Design of boxes, plaques and décor
- Selling at craft fairs and to emporia
- Costing of wood and metal wire
Why difficulty 3/5: Low machinery cost, but you need skilled inlay workers and a steady sales channel.
§3Market
Who buys
- Gift and home-décor buyers
- Handicraft emporia and décor shops
- Visitors at craft fairs
How it sells
- Craft fairs such as Surajkund and Lucknow Shilpgram (named in the report)
- ODOP and District Industries Centre promotion
- Own showroom or online craft stores
Good to know
- The report notes about 700 people in Mainpuri district live off Tarkashi work.
- Raw material is the biggest cost: ₹22.68 lakh of ₹41.04 lakh sales in year 1.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Wood cutting machine | 1 | ₹2.50 lakh |
| Buffing machine | 1 | ₹20,000 |
| Other tools and equipment | — | ₹30,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Tarkashi Handicraft (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Sheesham woodthe base for boxes, plaques and furniture pieces
- Metal sheets / wire (brass, copper or silver)cut into fine wire and hammered into grooves
- Adhesive, polishing wax, sand stonefor fixing and finishing
From: PMEGP sample project report — Tarkashi Handicraft (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Trade licence from the local body
- Artisan card / handicraft registration (useful for fairs)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP fits this ₹11.16 lakh manufacturing unit; MUDRA can fund up to ₹20 lakh; CGTMSE gives collateral-free cover.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Sample report total ₹11.16 lakh: plant & machinery ₹3.00 lakh, civil work ₹4.00 lakh, furniture & fixtures ₹0.50 lakh, working capital ₹3.66 lakh. Land own or rented. Finance: term loan ₹6.75 lakh, working-capital loan ₹3.29 lakh, own share ₹1.12 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹3.66 lakh (bank cash credit ₹3.29 lakh); raw material and finished stock for 15 days, buyers get 15 days' credit.
Year not printed on the sample report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH)
- Get an IEC and register with EPCH (RCMC) before exporting handicrafts.
- Wood items may need fumigation and a phytosanitary certificate for some countries.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Shortage of skilled artisans
- Wood cracking or wire lifting if heated while polishing
- Slow sales outside the festive season
- Cheaper copies in the market
§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 tarkashi handicraft (wood inlay) 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 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 Tarkashi Handicraft (Wood Inlay)?
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.