Ready to Eat Vegetables

Uploaded on : July 2010

Product and its applications

Lifestyle is changing in most of the urban cities very rapidly. With both the husband and wife working the eating and cooking habits are undergoing changeover. Couples do not find time to search for fresh vegetables sort and clean them and undertake cooking. They seek other options which are less time taking and convenient. Thus ready to eat vegetables are the alternative. Vegetables are a seasonal product and cannot be stored over a long period. Majority of the vegetables are not available during off season. If the vegetables when available are cooked and preserved they can be easily utilized and save the trouble of cooking. These precooked Indian curried vegetables are also popular in Middle East and Western countries where ever Indians have settled. The precooked vegetables can also be consumed during off season for any particular item. Thus when peas are not available during summer season one can relish peas products in the ready to serve variety. Thus ensuring supply during off season. This value addition to the vegetables besides ensuring availability also improves its economics. Some of the popular vegetables such as peas, cauliflower, spinach, carrots etc. can be cooked and preserved for consumption through out the year. The technology for such Ready to Eat Vegetables is available with CFTRI. Compliance with PFA Act for such a unit is essential.

Industry Profile and Market Assessment

In the Indian households vegetables are cooked every day and infact separately for lunch and dinner. This exercise is time consuming and laborious as fresh vegetables are to be procured cleaned, sorted and cooked. Thus popular Indian curried items like Rajma, Dam Aloo Malai kofta, Chole, and paneer items can be cooked and canned. In the present day fast life the housewife can hardly spare time for such activity along with their career. Ready to Eat vegetables are thus a solution to save time and ensure availability of vegetables for meals. Pre cooked and preserved ready to Eat vegetables will ensure the availability through out the year. It is easier to store and transport. The major limitation with the bulk of Green vegetables is that they are grown in a limited period only lasting for 3-4 months and thus their availability is restricted to this period. Pre cooking of vegetables and canning it results in it being easier to handle. This also helps in exporting the product to other countries where ever Indian cuisine is popular. It has a good demand in urban areas and metropolitan cities. Once the product establishes its Brand, export opportunities can also be explored. Middle East countries and other western countries with Indian population are places where it has demand.

Manufacturing Process & Know How

The process of manufacturing is simple and standardized. Vegetables and pulses are washed and thoroughly cleaned. The vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, potatoes and carrots are peeled wherever required and cut to size. They are then cooked in steam jacketed kettle. The pulses are cleaned and similarly cooked. Simultaneously curry is prepared with ingredients like chopped tomatoes, onions; butter/ghee, chilly spices etc. and both are mixed. On cooling they are packed in sterilized cans and the cans are vacuumasied and sealed. The yield is 120% because of addition of other ingredients and water.

                      Process Flow Chart

Know how is available with Central Government research Laboratories. The machinery is all indigenously available. The production capacity envisaged is 150 tonnes per year 300 days working.

Plant and Machinery

The main plant and machinery required comprise

The all important raw material is good quality potato. Potatoes have high water content. Hence total loss during process shall be almost 30%. Potatoes are readily available hence procurement will not be a problem. Other ingredients like salt, spices etc can be easily procured from local market. Packing items like plastic bags and corrugated boxes, labels, strapping etc will be required.

The total cost of raw material and packing material at full capacity is estimated to be Rs. 7.26 lakhs. The total requirement for potato is estimated to be 58 tons. at 100% capacity. At 60% capacity in 1st year the total cost of raw material works out to Rs 4.35 lakhs.

Land and Building

For smooth functioning of the unit the requirement of man power is expected to be around 8 persons.

Manpower

For smooth functioning of the unit the requirement of man power is expected to be around 8 persons.

Sales person	self
Skilled Workers	2
Semi skilled workers	2
Helpers	2

The annual salary bill is estimated to be around Rs.1.26 lakhs.

Sales Revenue: (100% capacity)

Selling price varies depending on the product quality and demand. An average price of Rs 55,000/- per tonne has been taken. the annual income at 100% capacity is Rs 22.00 lakhs.

Cost of Project

Sales	Rs. lakhs
Land & Building	3.10
Plant & Machinery	1.80
Other assets	0.35
Contingencies	0.50
P & P expenses	0.35
Margin money	0.49
Total	6.59

Means of Finance

Promoters Contribution	1.89
Term Loan	4.70
Total	6.59

Profitability: (60%capacity)

	Rs. lakhs
Sales	13.20
Raw material	4.35
Salary	1.26
Utilities	0.30
Stores & Spares	0.18
Repairs & Maintenance	0.24
Selling expenses	3.30
Administrative expenses	0.36
Depreciation	0.68
Interest on T.L	0.46
Interest on W.C	0.13
Cost of production	11.26
Profit	1.94

Requirement of Working Capital

		Margin	W.C	Margin Money
Packing material	½month	25%	0.18	0.05
Stock of finished goods	½ month	25%	1.00	0.07
Working expenses	1 month	100%	0.20	0.20
Sale on credit	½ month	25%	0.70	0.17
Margin money for W.C				0.49

Break Even point

33%

Machinery Suppliers

• M/S Archana machinery stores Guwahati.
• M/sEast End Engineering Co. Gopal Rai Thakur Road Kolkata 700035.
• M/S Industrial Equipment Guwahati.
• M/S Cowel Can Ltd. Barotiwala, Dist Solan,
• M/S Laxicon Engg. Sita Bardi, Nagpur
• FMC Technologies Hong Kong Ltd. Bhubaneshwar Housing Society Pashan Road Pune.

Contact for more information

Information Manager
TIMEIS Project
E-mail: timeis@ficci.com