The first step to start dal milling is to write a business plan and carry out feasibility study. Then conduct a survey, develop a business model and secure funding.
Other things include operational license, factory, machinery, labor, transportation. it is important to Put in place an effective marketing strategy and source raw materials from local market.
What is Dal?
Dal is a generic Indian term for dried, split lentils, peas, beans and legume or soups made from the ingredients. The term originated from Indian subcontinent with alternative names like dahl, dhal, dail or daal. Common staple ingredients in this category are green whole lentils or red lentils.
Uses of dal ingredients
Dal is commonly used in soups or snack alongside other ingredients like spices, onions, tomatoes. In India Vada is a popular Indian snack that has dal as main ingredients.
Dal tagka is eaten with white rice, steamed rice with black lentils. Preparation of dal recipes involves boiling dal ingredients, salting introduction of other ingredients like onion, tomatoes fried and garnished.
Common Dal Ingredients
There are different types of dal in the Indian market. Common dal ingredients are yellow split peas, urad dal, rajma dal, split mungo beans. We have chickpea, matar dal, rice bean and horsegram.
Others include toor, arhar dal, red, green moong, vigna mungo, mungo bean. More are bengal gram, moth bean, black eyed pea, yellow pigeon pea, soybean, kidney beans.
List of Dal
- Chickpea
- Matar Dal
- rice bean
- Horsegram
- Toor, Arhar Dal
- Green Moong
- Vigna Mungo
- Mungo bean
- Bengal Gram
- Moth Bean
- Black eyed pea
- Yellow pigeon pea
- Soybean
- Kidney Beans
Factory location
Lease or purchase factory for the production process. Make sure the factory has good storage facility, quality equipment and dedicated staff. Things to consider in site selection is closeness to raw materials or market. Others are transportation costs of the materials, packaging, tax and utilities.
Funding
The size of the enterprise will dictate the amount of funds needed. Establish the capacity utilization, output, expected annual revenue and returns on sales. Other parameters are working capital, bank loans, term, equity and total.
Working capital is needed to purchase raw materials, working expenses, receivables and finished goods. Fixed capital includes land acquisition, site development, building, plant/machinery pre-operational expenses. Secure finds through target savings or borrow from friends and family. Approach a commercial bank for long term low interest loans.
Working capital
- Margin
- Bank loans
- Term
- Equity
- Purchase raw materials
- Working expenses
- Receivables
- Finished goods
Fixed capital
- Land acquisition
- Site development
- Building
- Plant/machinery
- Pre-operational expenses
Business Registration
Register the business as a limited liability entity and secure a trade license. There are safety and health guidelines for production of edibles or spices.
Dal mill Equipment
There are locally fabricated and imported Dal mill machinery. The size of the plant will determine capacity and output. Recommended equipment are pedal mixer, packaging unit, de-husker and destoner. Other equipment are blowers, aspirators, bucket elevators, pre-loader and a control panel.
Da production machinery
- pedal mixer
- packaging unit
- de-husker
- destoner
- blowers
- aspirators
- bucket elevators
- pre-loader
- control panel
Dal Milling process
Milling process starts with pulses then cleaning, chaffing and drying. This is followed by pitting, pre-treatment with linseed oil and conditioning. Finally de-husking, splitting mixture of husk. Broken to smaller pieces, made into powder, then grading, polishing and grade 1 pluses.
Marketing
There is a huge market for dal products in India. This is because many staple foods have dal present in the recipe. Customers are restaurants, fast food outlets, hotels, grocery stores, food market, private individuals. There is also a vibrant local and international market for the product.