§1What this business is

Dried in-shell walnuts are graded by size, cracked in a shelling machine, and the shells are separated from the kernels on a vibro separator. A colour sorter removes off-colour kernels, a metal detector checks the product, and the kernels are packed in 100 g packets. The report says Jammu and Kashmir grows about 98% of India's walnuts.

Capacity: 200 kg a day over 300 days; 57,000 kg a year after 5% wastage, packed as 5,70,000 packets of 100 g. Year 1 at 30%, rising to 50% in year 5.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

Someone in a walnut-growing area of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh or Uttarakhand with links to growers and dry-fruit traders.

Who it is not for

Someone far from walnut orchards, or without money to stock a year's raw material.

Advantages

  • Packed kernels suit homes, sweet makers and bakeries
  • The report notes walnuts are used widely in bakery items
  • The report notes walnuts are an export earner
  • Low break-even in the report (24–27%)

Drawbacks

  • The colour sorter alone costs ₹22.00 L
  • Supply is concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir and a few hill states
  • Walnuts are harvested once a year, so stock must be bought and stored
  • Kernels go rancid if stored badly

Skills you need

  • Grading walnuts by size and colour
  • Running shelling and sorting machines
  • Storage and moisture control
  • Selling to dry-fruit traders, retailers and bakeries

Why difficulty 3/5: Simple process, but a costly sorter and a once-a-year raw material.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Dry-fruit traders and wholesalers
  • Retail shops and supermarkets
  • Bakeries and sweet makers
  • Hair- and skin-care product makers (the report mentions this use)

How it sells

  • Dry-fruit wholesale markets
  • Direct supply to bakeries and retailers
  • Exporters

Good to know

  • The report says Jammu and Kashmir produces about 98% of India's walnuts.
  • Year-1 sales in the report are ₹125.26 L at 30% capacity, at ₹75 per 100 g packet.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
Grading machine1₹1,30,000
Walnut shelling machine1₹85,000
Vibro separator1₹95,000
Colour sorting machine1₹22,00,000
Metal detector1₹1,30,000
Filling and packaging machine1₹1,80,000
Material handling and other equipment (bins, trolley, weighing machine, bucket elevator, belt conveyors)lot₹1,50,000

From: NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Walnut Processing Unit (2022)

  • Harvested walnuts (dried, in shell)costed at ₹45 per 100 g packet of output in year 1
  • Packets100 g packets

From: NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Walnut Processing Unit (2022)

§5Licences & registration

  1. FSSAI licence
  2. Udyam registration
  3. GST registration
  4. Legal Metrology registration for packed goods
  5. IEC and APEDA registration if you export

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

PMFME fits first (the DPR was written for it; the report caps the subsidy at ₹10 L). AIF can help with post-harvest processing; PMEGP and CGTMSE fit a ₹38.49 L project.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Plant & machinery ₹29.70 L (of which the colour sorter is ₹22.00 L) + miscellaneous fixed assets ₹2.00 L + working capital ₹6.79 L = ₹38.49 L. Premises rented (not costed).

Working capital: Working capital ₹6.79 L, of which bank finance ₹6.11 L; 7 days of raw material and finished stock, 10 days' credit to buyers, 7 days' credit from suppliers.

NIFTEM-K model DPR for PMFME, published 2022 (no year printed inside) — check current machinery prices.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export

0802.31Walnuts, in shell0802.32Walnuts, shelled

Export council / board: APEDA

  • The report says Indian walnuts are exported to Europe.
  • 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

  • A poor harvest raising raw walnut prices
  • Rancid or mouldy stock
  • Competition from imported walnuts
  • Breakdown of the costly colour sorter

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working walnut processing (kernel) unit unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI licence, Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

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 Walnut Processing (Kernel) Unit?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. NIFTEM-K (MoFPI) PMFME Detailed Project Report – Walnut Processing Unit (2022)

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.