How to Start a Plant Nursery Business in India?

With the growing demand for plants and gardening products, the plant nursery business in India is flourishing.

Home gardening picked up in India, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown period, and was seen as a potential contribution to the Green India initiative. People living in urban cities look to continue the trend, finding spaces in their balconies, lawns, terraces, and indoor spaces where they can place a few plants. Thus, it is the best time for planning a nursery business and leveraging the growing demand in the urban region of the country.

This blog is a step-by-step guide to starting a plant nursery business in India.

Understanding the Plant Nursery Business in the Indian Context

Starting a new business requires a lot of research and understanding of all aspects, including the nature of the business, underlying technicalities, market trends, and regulatory challenges.

What is a plant nursery?

A nursery is a place where plants are grown for sale. Plants are grown to a desirable size so they can be replanted or placed in specific areas on the terrace, balcony, sit-outs, or other indoor areas of the house.

Plants grown could be for home gardening, zoos, parks, forestry, or for plantation initiatives within cities.

Types of plant nurseries

Based on the size, you could set up your plant nursery in any of the following categories:

Market potential and trends in India

There is a growing enthusiasm for gardening in India, evident from the growing market for nursery businesses online. In 2024, the online plant nursery market share stood at USD 386.54 million and is estimated to grow at 4.27% CAGR through 2030 and beyond. A lot of it is credited to expanding urbanization, green initiatives, and awareness of a clean and green environment.

Planning your plant nursery business

Regardless of the business idea, good planning is crucial in setting up a new business and generating revenue.

Market research and feasibility studies

Although the overall trend of the nursery business is positive, with more people inclined towards plantation than ever before, it is always advised that you do due diligence and document your findings of the nursery business market. This will help you plot market size, your share of the market, and revenue targets. People in some parts of the city might be more affectionate towards gardening or having plants around them than others.

Identifying your target audience

Your target customers will belong to one of the following categories. Therefore, you must choose your target audience and plan accordingly.

Developing a business plan

Writing a business plan involves documenting the insights to conclude actionable points. It is about writing down your market research, operation planning, estimated expenditures, revenue targets, timeline, milestones, and related aspects.

Conclusion

Starting a nursery business can feel like a lot initially. Besides, considering the investment size, it is capital-intensive and risky. However, if you have done your due diligence and are considering starting your own plant nursery business that works, it can be rewarding and fulfilling if done right.