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Kerala is one of the most popular destinations for tourists and is also known as heaven for small and big entrepreneurs because of the ease of doing business there. Kerala has great connectivity to domestic and international commerce, which provides multiple opportunities for anyone to start a business of their own. Kerala also has a strong service sector with a continuous supply of trained and semi-trained workers. The connectivity and accessibility to domestic and international airports, ports, and rail networks make Kerala a favourable location to start a business.
In this blog, you can explore different business ideas that you can start in Kerala with minimal investments. Each business idea includes Kerala’s unique blend of tradition and commerce, which provides numerous opportunities to innovate, grow, and succeed.
The Intersection of Tradition, Nature, and Commerce in Kerala
Kerala has a distinctive intersection of tradition, nature, and commerce, which makes it ideal for different business ventures to flourish. Each element, individually and together, plays an important role in developing businesses in Kerala.
- Traditions are deeply rooted in every aspect of Kerala’s life, including businesses. The state has an extensive history of culture because its traditions go beyond simple norms. The traditional value of Kerala creates a distinctive selling proposition that allows businesses to sell genuine artisanal goods in the market. There are also special chances for businesses related to the travel, hospitality, and event planning industries, among others, to expand and excel as Kerala has several traditional holidays and rituals.
- A lot of tourists are attracted to Kerala because of its breathtaking natural beauty. The state offers the best wildlife reserves, beaches, backwaters, verdant landscapes, and a lot more to its tourists, making tourism one of the best businesses in Kerala. The hotels, tourism companies, and businesses that provide unique experiences to visitors, like houseboat rentals, wildlife safaris, and wellness retreats, are also experiencing growth. The soil’s fertility supports the cultivation of a variety of crops like rice, coconuts, tea, rubber, spices, and tea.
- Kerala is perfect for trading and commerce because of its location (the southern coast of India) and well-developed ports, airports, and roads. The infrastructure and strong service sector, which includes healthcare, IT, finance, education, textiles, fisheries, etc., facilitates easy domestic and international movement of goods and services. The appropriate location, resources, and educated workforce of Kerala make it a favourable location for both international and domestic businesses.
20 Top Business Ideas for Kerala Entrepreneurs
Here is a list of top business ideas for entrepreneurs in Kerala to start their journey of success.
- Organic farming: Nowadays, there is a growing trend towards organic products as people are now more aware of the benefits of eating healthy and chemical-free food. Entrepreneurs in Kerala can use its fertile land to grow organic fruits, spices, and vegetables.
- Rubber: Kerala approximately produces 95% of the rubber that is available in India. It is a profitable business idea for you to start producing rubber or products related to it, like erasers, hoses, gaskets, etc. with minimal investment.
- Grocery store: The land in Kerala is fertile, and plenty of vegetables and fruits are grown there. Starting a grocery store and selling locally grown, home-grown, or other basic products will be beneficial. You can sell the products offline as well as online.
- Incense sticks: It is a low-investment business idea as all the raw materials needed for this, like bamboo, charcoal, sawdust, etc., are readily available in Kerala. Incense sticks are generally used for religious purposes in homes and temples.
- Banana chips: Bananas are widely grown in Kerala and chips made of banana are a popular healthy snacking option across the country. There is a huge audience that can be catered to if you start your venture in the banana chip business, both offline and online.
- Tea and coffee: There are plenty of tea and coffee plantations in Kerala that are earning a profitable income. People can have a profitable business by starting a tea or coffee plantation, a café, or establishing an online business selling authentic tea and coffee powder.
- Spices: A variety of spices are locally grown in Kerala, like turmeric, pepper, clove, ginger, cardamom, etc. The spice industry is huge, as it is used in every household in the world. So, starting a business in the spice industry will be beneficial.
- Tourism: The tourism industry in Kerala contributes more than 10% to its GDP and provides employment opportunities to many people. If you are a local, you can easily start a tour and travel agency in Kerala to guide people or provide services like transportation, photography, homestays, etc., to tourists.
- Eco-friendly clothing: There is a growing demand for sustainable products nowadays. You can start a business that promotes and produces sustainable and eco-friendly clothes. Locally available cotton, bamboo, and other sustainable materials can be used.
- Coconut oil: Authentic coconut oil has always been in demand around the globe. You can start a coconut oil production unit and start selling the oil locally as well as internationally.
- Coconut-based products: Coconuts are locally produced in Kerala, and the investment in coconut-based businesses is also low. You can explore and manufacture multiple coconut-based products, like jaggery, pudding, chips, pancakes, etc., and sell them online and offline.
- Leather bags: Starting a business whose raw materials are easily available around you is easier than anything else. So, you can start a business to manufacture leather bags like wallets, purses, handbags, etc., as leather and other raw materials required in this business are easily available in Kerala.
- Transportation: Kerala is one of the fastest-growing states in terms of tourism. The demand for transportation is high in this state, so you can start your own transportation business by providing cabs or taxis to local and international tourists.
- Saree production: Most women in Kerala and other states of India wear sarees regularly as they are considered to carry heritage, integrity, and versatility. You can start with a small-scale production house of sarees to cater to local as well as international demand.
- Ayurvedic products: Ayurveda has been practised in Kerala for ages. The raw materials used to produce Ayurvedic products are easily found in Kerala. Nowadays, there is a huge demand for ayurvedic medicines in India as well as abroad. You can start a manufacturing business producing authentic Ayurvedic products and sell them to a wide customer base.
- Handicraft items: Several artisans in Kerala make fine handicraft items from coconut shells, wood, straw, metal, coconut fibres, paper mache, etc. You can start a business by buying unique products from such local artisans and selling them online across the globe.
- Herbal Nursery: You can easily produce various medicinal plants, herbs, and flowers with minimal investment in the fertile land of Kerala. The produce can then be sold to Ayurveda, cosmetic, or pharma companies for profit.
- Jewellery: The authentic jewellery of Kerala is famous for its unique and traditional designs. You can start selling the jewellery of Kerala offline and online to other states or countries.
- Translation services: Tourism is surely growing in Kerala, but there is a big barrier between locals and tourists in collaborating, which is language. You can start your language translation service. Translation services can also be provided to government agencies or businesses other than tourists to increase productivity.
- Adventurous activities: Not every tourist visits places to relax and stay in lavish places. Some people like to explore and do adventurous activities to enjoy themselves. Kerala has plenty of greenery and adventurous places. You can leverage this opportunity and start a business providing experiences like trekking, wildlife safaris, camping, etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that Kerala provides multiple opportunities to big and small entrepreneurs who want to tap into traditional businesses. It is seen as a hub for people who want to start a business in sectors like agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, craftsmanship, etc. You can use Kerala’s unique local identity, existing strengths, breathtaking natural beauty, fertile land, locally produced raw materials, etc. to start a business and gain success.
