How to start a mustard oil mill ?

Mustard oil milling doesn’t have to be a large oil operation. Anyone wanting to start a local mustard oil mill could do so with a mini mill. There is no need for large equipment or space to get started.One can even start with an existing structure by converting it to a mill house. Want to learn more? Read our basic guide.

Mustard oil is among the top choices of people when it comes to edible oil. If you want to start a mustard oil mill, it is not necessary that you purchase a land, and buy an industrial capacity mill. You can start with a “mini” oil mill, which will not take as much space or need a large building. Before starting this project, consider these questions?

Is a steady supply of mustard available to you? Do the people around you grow mustard? If there is already an existing market for mustard, is there an excess supply that you can buy for the mill? Would you buy them from another city, or state? Or will you start your own farm? For bigger companies, contract growing is an option. You provide the capital for people to grow the crop with an agreement that they sell it to you.

Mustard oil mill

Is there a local market for mustard oil? As a small oil mill, you have to depend a lot on your neighbours for patronage. It is impossible for you to compete with grocery store brands. Your appeal should be in being their “friendly neighbourhood edible oil supplier.”

Would you have the capital to rent/buy a modest land for the mill? As well as machines to extract the oil and a few months worth of working capital? Are there willing investors on your idea? Do you know of state and national agencies that provide financial loans, grants or assistance to your kind of project?

To determine the definite answer to the question of whether a mustard oil mill is viable in your area, it is best to document the information that will do so in a business plan. If the initial answers to these questions are encouraging, then it is time to go to the specifics.

Find a land that you can build a mill house or an existing structure in your place that you can convert or lease and convert into a mill house.

   Research where can you possibly buy/rent oil milling equipment (expeller and extractor).
   Determine your cycle of operation (mustard growing and thus milling is typically seasonal).
   Draw your process flow and schedule of operation.
   Draw a plan to package, market, advertise and distribute your product as well as by-product (expelled oil case is used as
animal feed).