Top 10 Profitable Small-Scale Agri-Business Ideas

Under the current situation, most of us are keen on limiting our personal or business-related expenses or even investments and aim for optimizing our returns on investments.

For those who are planning to do something of their own, there are certain exceptionable business ideas in the Agriculture export segment, suitable for small-scale investments. The ideas discussed below involve lesser capital, fewer challenges to address, and generating decent returns in the medium to long term. 

1. Exporting Vegetables

India has a leading contribution towards the production of vegetables such as potato, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, tomato, etc. From neighboring to far of countries, there is always demand for the same.

One can plan export business of vegetables with a small investment and in the longer run, expecting a decent return on investment can be expected. Countries like Indonesia, Ukraine, Malaysia, Argentina and the United States are our regular vegetable buyers.

The climate condition and geographical location of India make it simple for all kinds of vegetation in order to grow on the land, therefore a wider range of vegetables can be produced from a single land.

Products, organic in nature have attracted overseas markets in recent years hence exporting organic vegetables will fetch more amount of dollars Organically made products have high demand in all foreign countries.

Major export nations for Indian producers involve Australia, France, Italy, Singapore, China, Canada, Germany, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia. India is the largest producer and exporter of ginger as well as okra, followed by vegetables and fruits. 

2. Seafood Export

Surveys and reports indicate that India has the potential to increase its global seafood trade share from the present 4.1-4.2% to more than 6.5% in another decade.

Therefore scope is huge for exporting and across the globe, people have a good appetite for seafood, such as fishes/crabs/shrimps, oysters, etc. and there are many countries which import varieties of seafood from countries like India, including premium-grade fishes. Starting a small-scale business is practically achievable and this is one of the most profitable ventures for smaller business entities. 

3. Meat Exports

The meat industry is slowly yet steadily catching pace on the global front. India exports both frozen and fresh chilled meat to more than 50-60 countries of the world. India also exports a small quantity of processed meat to Thailand, Yemen, and Japan and poultry products to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.

Frozen meat of chicken/goat/fish is highly demanded overseas. India has an adequate supply of these types of meat every year, hence they can be exported as well. With roughly 90% of the global population being Non-Vegetarian, planning for meat exports is surely a feasible small-scale business idea. 

4. Spice Export

Spices of our country are highly valued all over the world. India is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices; the country produces about 75 of the 109 varieties listed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and accounts for nearly 50% global export market.

One can start his or her own small-scale business with low investment by exporting different spices to various consuming nations around the world.

5. Animal Feed Export

This is another avenue where small-scale exporters can look into. There are almost 122 countries and territories, which actively import Animal Feed from India. Our top 5 trade partners who import Animal Feed are Bangladesh, Vietnam, Nepal, Myanmar, and USA.

6. Pickles Export

Homemade pickles are in greater demand in countries of the Middle East, UAE, and countries where the Indian population is denser. Do a thorough online search on this and then start targeting the destination for your pickles. 

 7. Fruits Export

Efficiency in production offers India tremendous opportunities for export. As per the APEDA, during 2019-20, India exported fruits and vegetables worth Rs. 9,182.88 crores/ 1,277.38 USD Millions which comprised of fruits worth Rs. 4,832.81 crores/ 668.75 USD Millions and vegetables worth Rs. 4,350.13 crores/ 608.48 USD Millions.

In the fruits basket, the largest export share goes to Grapes, Pomegranates, Mangoes, Bananas, and Oranges. Major foreign buyers for Indian fruits are Bangladesh, UAE, Netherland, Nepal, Malaysia, UK, Sri Lanka, Oman, and Qatar. With a minimum storage space requirement, one can get ready for exporting fruits. 

8. Livestock Business

This is another lucrative export business Idea. Demand from overseas nations is quite high hence find out the list of countries having such requirements and get the deals done. 

9. Food and Beverage Exports

This trend has gathered momentum in the last one or two decades. Packing and branding the food and beverages and selling to relevant destinations have been giving appreciable profit margins to the small exporters, quite frequently. 

10. Cotton Export

India’s availability of black soil in the vast area is an advantage for cotton production and as various products are made from this crop, exporting the cotton products to overseas markets works out to be another viable option, even for a small businessman. Cotton yarn and fabrics export accounted for nearly 23 percent of India's total textiles and apparel export in FY 2019-20.