I visited Sheikhpura district a few days ago and learned something interesting... It produces onions that are in high demand esp in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, where non veg food is quite popular. The onions grown in Sheikhpura are known for their reddish colour, distinct strong taste & medium size. A few years ago, I travelled to Bhavnagar in Gujarat for a friend’s wedding. She often mentioned that her father was a businessman... but never told that the family was involved in the onion business. They owned a few factories related to onion dehydration. Mahuva, a town in Bhavnagar, is famous as the “Onion Dehydration Hub of India”. This place is the global hub of supplying processed onion products, particularly to Europe, USA & Middle East. The industries there are involved in producing dehydrated onion (flakes and powder), fried onions, onion kibbles /chips, onion powder and granules, pickled onions and so on. This small place contributes approx 80-90% of India’s total dehydrated onion production. In contrast, farmers in Bihar mainly sell fresh onions, which often face unpredictable price changes. There is a clear opportunity for new onion dehydration projects here. There exists a ready market. The B2B market is massive... Instant noodle tastemakers, spice blends, ready-to-eat meals, fast food chains (for pizza toppings & sauces) prefer flakes/powder for consistency and ease of storage. Starting such a business is not very difficult... Requires modest investment. Financial/banking support is available through govt schemes like PMFME & PMEGP for small units... Large units will get incentives and support under Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Package 2025 (BIPPP 2025). For more info, one can contact the District Industries Centre in Sheikhpura or visit the Investment Facilitation Centre at Ground Floor, Indira Bhawan, Atal Path, Patna.
