Tomato Processing Unit in India: Setup Cost, Licences and Viability

Key Takeaways

• India is the world's second-largest tomato producer but processes only a tiny fraction of its crop. That gap is the opportunity and the warning at the same time.
• Raw material is 65–75% of operating cost, and tomato prices have swung from ₹2/kg to ₹200/kg within a single year.
• A tomato-only plant running 70 days a year usually cannot cover its annual fixed costs, regardless of how good the per-day margin looks.
• The fix is a multi-crop line. The same washer, pulper, evaporator and aseptic filler handle mango, guava, papaya, chilli and ginger.
• Operation Greens exists specifically for tomato, onion and potato, and offers assistance no other food category gets.