19+ Business Ideas in Manipur to Try in 2022

Wondering what business to start in Manipur? Rack your brains no more! Here are 19+ low-cost business ideas in Manipur with the potential to generate high returns.

Manipur is a northeastern state of India fertile with business opportunities. Being India’s Gateway to the East, the place is ideal for budding entrepreneurs to thrive. The state alone has 12,438 MSMEs, the highest in the northeastern region from 2015 to 2019.

The breathtaking hills of Manipur are one of the major tourist attractions in India. Besides, the state also scores high in terms of the available IT infrastructure to support business growth.

And with the government itself committed to nurturing startups with the Startup Manipur initiative, there’s no time like the present to start your own business in Manipur. As per the state’s taxation department, more than 10,000 businesses were created in the past two and half years only.

The vast wealth of flora and fauna paves the way for many sustainable business ideas in Manipur. Considering the location and availability of raw materials, we’ve listed some lucrative business ideas to pursue in the state.

Small Business Ideas in Manipur

1. Get into a Food Processing Business

Manipur is rich in natural resources, making food processing an apt choice for business in the region. The state’s favorable climatic condition supports producing a large variety of vegetables, fruits, and cereals, spices that can be processed and exported.

The state government also encourages entrepreneurs to set up mills by providing various schemes and loan facilities. Hence, it’s hardly surprising that the industry has gained wide momentum in the past few years.

However, there’s still a lot of untapped potential in the food processing sector in Manipur. Given the huge scope of growth, the food processing business tops the list of lucrative business ideas in Manipur.

2. Start an Online Business

The world is growing increasingly digital, and Manipur is no different. If funding is your major roadblock in starting a business, creating an online store can be your best bet. Starting an online business is cost-saving and extremely easy and convenient.

With apps like Dukaan, you can create an e-commerce store in minutes and sell anything, from food to clothes, furniture, décor, gadgets, whatever comes to your mind. You’ll be surprised at the pace and scale you can grow online compared to a physical store.

Watch this video to learn more about starting an online store.

3. Open a Diagnostic Center

If you have experience in laboratory science and some capital to invest in, opening a diagnostic center can be another excellent idea. A diagnostic center is a highly profitable business in India.

The demand for good quality diagnostic centers in Manipur has also increased with increasing health awareness.

Many people go for medical tests all the time. If you can provide good diagnostic and allied services, it can fetch you a lot of profit.

4. Start an Eco-Tourism Business

People living in the hotter parts of India love to visit the cool hilly regions. Manipur is one such hilly area that attracts many tourists throughout the year. It’s famous for its scintillating hills, rich flora and fauna, beautiful waterfalls, and floating national park.

As a local in Manipur, you should take advantage of the heavy tourist footfall to start an eco-tourism business. You can show them a good time without harming nature and earn a few bucks in the process.

5. Produce Organic Fertilizers

Manipur is an agricultural economy, and fertilizers play an essential role in the region’s large-scale production of crops, fruits, and vegetables. As such, organic fertilizers production is one of the most legitimate business ideas in Manipur.

Producing organic fertilizer is relatively easy, and you can even do this at home. Further, an increasing number of people nowadays look for organically grown foods that are safe and healthy. Thus, your business of organic fertilizers is destined for success if you properly market it.

6. Become a Fruit and Vegetable Exporter

Manipur has a very conducive environment for growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Litchi, cashews, walnuts, orange, lemon, pineapples, passion fruit, pear, and plums grow plentiful in rich soil. In fact, Manipur is amongst the largest producers of passion fruit in India.

With so much variety and potential, you can start your own horticulture practice at home. Or else, you can also build a network with local growers and start exporting their produce at a profitable price. Opening a fruit or a juice shop is also not a bad idea if you want to start small.

7. Initiate a Music School

There is nothing more fulfilling than turning your passion into a business. If you are specialized in any musical instrument or vocal performance, you can start your own music class in the hills.

The chance of your venture becoming successful is much higher in Manipur, where there are relatively fewer music schools than in a large city. To attract more pupils to your class, focus on the area’s local music.

8. Try Your Hands at Online Photo Selling

There is a global marketplace to sell good-quality photos online. If you have a knack for photography, Manipur, with its scenic beauty, opens doors to vast opportunities. You can capture the exotic flora and fauna of Manipur in their natural habitat and sell the pictures online at a handsome rate.

9. Start a Transportation Business

Imphal, the capital of Manipur, houses the second largest airport in the northeastern region. The post air cargo services run six days a week from the Imphal airport. So if you have an interest in the transport and logistic sector, there is a potential opportunity here.

The cargo moves in and out of the Imphal port from all major cities in India, including Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Bangalore. Hence there is an immense growth opportunity for a small-scale transport business in Manipur.

10. Become an Event Manager

Manipur is a hub for numerous social, spiritual, and agricultural events that take place throughout the year. It is also a land of vibrant festivals celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. Besides, hundreds of international conferences take place in Imphal every year.

All these events require responsible event managers who can ensure the smooth operation of the events. So if you learn what it takes it manage events successfully, there will be no shortage of opportunities for you as an event manager in Manipur.

11. Start a Travel Blog

When talking of business opportunities, one cannot ignore the prospects of earning money online. Travel blog has become a good source of earning passive money for travelers who can write about their experiences engagingly.

If you’re a native of Manipur who is fond of traveling, you can start a travel blog exclusive to Manipur. There must be several places in Manipur that are untapped tourist destinations. You can describe your travel stories of those places and bring them to the attention of tourists.

12. Get Involved in Sericulture

Sericulture is one of the most promising industries in Manipur that provides profitable returns with minimum investment. Sericulture has a long tradition in Manipur. The state produces all four types of natural silk- mulberry, tasar, eri, and Muga.

From silkworm rearing to silk weaving, you can get involved in the industry in many ways. With the right training, you can produce exceptional quality silk in Manipur and even sell it outside the state. You can also install a silk reeling and spinning unit and generate employment opportunities for the rural people.

Business Ideas for Women in Manipur

Women in Manipur actively involve themselves in entrepreneurial ventures along with their male counterparts. In fact, women own about 44% of the total non-agricultural business in the state. If you have the necessary skills, there is no reason why you should not use them to become economically independent.

Here are a few low-investment business ideas that ladies in Manipur can start from their homes:

13. Start a Crafts Business

Manipur is known for handicrafts, and women are particularly skilled in this area. Hence, starting a crafts business can be a wise decision. Moreover, it’s a home-based business that you can start with very little investment.

Creative décor items are always in demand, especially in tourist areas. Tourists love to take a small souvenir with them as a reminder of the places they visit. You can either create the items yourself or collate them from other craftswomen to sell at your shop.

14. Hand-Made Soap Business

Another excellent craft business idea for ladies is the hand-made soap business. The art is easy to learn and can require only a few raw materials, to begin with. So if you find the idea interesting, you can start with it right away.

Hand-made soap is popular among women looking for chemical-free soaps for daily use. With the increasing awareness of the toxic materials used in commercial soaps, the hand-made soap business has a great potential to thrive.

15. Open a Jewelry Store

All-season is a season for jewelry. Women’s love for jewelry makes it a profitable business no matter where it is run. Besides, both men and women are more fashion conscious these days.

Thanks to the internet, the fondness for trending jewelry has increased manifolds. All you need is a keen eye for fashion and the knowledge of the latest trends to make this business successful.

It is also one of those businesses that you easily start online.

16. Start Handloom Weaving

The handloom industry has been the source of livelihood for many households in Manipur. Handwoven textile is a rich tradition that Manipur has kept alive for centuries. What makes their handloom exquisite is the traditional design they’ve inherited from many generations.

If you come from a textile background, handloom weaving can be a good source of revenue for you. The state government is also doing its best to provide financial assistance and promote the handloom industry. Hence it’s another potential business you can venture into in Manipur.

17. Sell Bamboo and Cane Products

Bamboo and crane products of the northeast are praised worldwide for their intricate designs that highlight the region’s rich tradition. Women are often involved in the making of this craft.

By training yourself on the skill, you can create a thriving business in Manipur with little investment.

Besides, bamboo also forms an integral part of the cuisine of Manipur. So even if you’re not a craftsperson, you can produce and sell edible bamboo for consumption purposes. It’s another brilliant small-scale business that women can start from their homes.

18. Start a Candle Making Business

Aromatic candles are used by many in therapies or as décor items to soothe their mind and body. Many Manipuri women are skilled in this craft. You can take training from them and start making your own candles.

You can also sell these items online to customers outside the state. Once your product gets popular, you can increase the scale by setting up a small candle-making factory at home.

19. Become a Language Tutor

The northeastern states of India have witnessed an influx of immigration in the past few years. When these foreigners settle in the state, they will want to learn the local language.

Manipur University also attracts a lot of international students. Besides, many Indians migrate to the state for work and other reasons.

If you’re well versed in the local dialect, you can become a language tutor and help them with the language.

20. Produce and Sell Pottery

The potteries of Manipur are distinct and unique. Made from clay and back rock, they have gained a distinctive reputation in neighboring villages and are in high demand. If pottery-making interests you, you can start the business of making and selling pottery from home.

The pottery of Manipur is also supplied to Nagaland, Bangalore, and other parts of the country.

21. Open a Gift Shop

A curio gift shop is popular amongst tourists in Manipur. If collecting antiques is your hobby, this may be an excellent business idea for you. Ancient arts, traditional handicrafts, and other small gift items can form a part of your collection.

Since Manipur is also home to a variety of flowers, you can consider growing pretty flowers and selling them at your shop.

How Can Dukaan Help Your Business?

Manipur presents unique business opportunities that are creative and close to nature. If you can develop a skill or two, you can have a successful business here.

However, opening a brick-and-mortar shop has become a thing of the past now, even for Manipur. If you want your business to grow, it has to transcend the physical boundary of geography, and the best way to do so is by going online.

Dukaan can take your small business idea in Manipur to the national level by providing you with an e-commerce platform as easy to use as a WhatsApp account. So start an online business in under five minutes and do away with the cost and bother of opening a physical store.

Do check out other business ideas in different cities: