Every poultry farm needs egg trays, and it needs them every day. That steady demand is why egg tray manufacturing is one of the most popular small-scale businesses in India. Before you invest, the first question is always the same: what is the egg tray making machine price?
It depends on three things: how many trays you want per hour, how automated you want the line to be, and how you plan to dry the trays. This guide covers egg tray machine price in India for 2026, the full plant cost beyond the machine, the capacity options, and how quickly a plant can pay for itself.
The prices below are indicative market ranges. Your final quote depends on the exact configuration you choose.
Egg Tray Making Machine Price in India at a Glance
Machine Type Capacity (trays/hour) Indicative Machine Price Drying Method
Small semi automatic 800–1,200 ₹6–10 lakh Sun drying
Semi automatic 1,500–2,500 ₹12–22 lakh Sun drying or brick dryer
Fully automatic (single-layer dryer) 2,500–3,500 ₹30–45 lakh Metal or brick tunnel dryer
Fully automatic (multi-layer dryer) 4,000–6,000 ₹50–90 lakh Multi-layer metal dryer
What Affects the Egg Tray Machine Price?
- Capacity. Capacity is the biggest factor. A machine that makes 4,000 trays an hour needs a larger forming drum, more moulds, a bigger pulping system and more powerful vacuum pumps than a 1,000-tray machine.
- Level of automation. In a semi automatic egg tray machine, workers move the wet trays from the machine to drying racks by hand. In an automatic egg tray machine, trays move straight from forming into the dryer on a conveyor. Automation costs more upfront but cuts labour every month.
- Drying system. The dryer can cost almost as much as the forming machine. Sun drying needs no fuel, but it needs a large open yard and good weather. A metal drying line is fast and compact, but it adds significantly to the price.
- Moulds. Aluminium moulds cost more than plastic moulds but last longer and give a cleaner finish.
- Build quality and support. Better steel, pumps and motors, plus installation and training, raise the price but reduce breakdowns. A stopped machine earns nothing.
Semi Automatic vs Automatic Egg Tray Machine
A semi automatic egg tray machine is the most common choice for first-time entrepreneurs. The investment is lower, maintenance is simple, and it suits the many parts of India where sun drying works for most of the year. The trade-off is that you need more workers and more open space, and production slows down in the monsoon.
An automatic egg tray machine forms, transfers and dries the trays in one continuous line. You need fewer workers, quality is more consistent, and production runs all year in any weather. It costs more to buy and uses fuel for drying, so it makes sense when you already have assured buyers for large volumes.
Many owners start semi automatic and add an automatic drying line as orders grow.
Egg Tray Machine Capacity Per Hour: Which Size Do You Need?
Start from demand, not from the machine. List the poultry farms, egg traders and wholesalers within about 100–150 km and estimate how many trays they buy each month.
Here is how capacity translates into daily output on one 8-hour shift:
1,000 trays per hour: about 8,000 trays a day
2,000 trays per hour: about 16,000 trays a day
4,000 trays per hour: about 32,000 trays a day
Running a second shift roughly doubles these numbers without buying a second machine.
Egg Tray Machine Price for 2,000 Pieces Per Hour
The 2,000-pieces-per-hour range is the most popular size in India. It is large enough to supply several farms and small enough to manage without a big team. A semi automatic 2,000 pcs/hour machine typically costs ₹14–22 lakh. The same capacity with an automatic drying line usually costs ₹35–45 lakh.
Total Egg Tray Plant Cost (Beyond the Machine)
The machine is only part of your investment. When you calculate egg tray plant cost, include:
- Pulping system: hydrapulper, pulp pumps, vacuum pump and air compressor (often included with the machine, so confirm this)
- Drying system: sun drying racks, a brick drying tunnel, or a metal dryer
- Shed and land: covered space for the machine and storage, plus open yard if you sun dry
- Electrical connection: a three-phase industrial connection
- Installation and training: check whether these are included in the quote
- Working capital: two to three months of waste paper, fuel and wages
Sample Plant Cost: 2,000 Trays Per Hour (Semi Automatic)
| Item | Approximate Cost |
| Egg tray machine with pulping system | ₹18 lakh |
| Brick drying tunnel | ₹5 lakh |
| Shed and civil work | ₹6 lakh |
| Electrical connection and wiring | ₹2 lakh |
| Working capital (3 months) | ₹4 lakh |
| Total About | ₹35 lakh |
A fully automatic egg tray plant with a multi-layer metal dryer, a larger shed and higher working capital usually costs between ₹60 lakh and ₹1.2 crore, depending on capacity.
Egg Tray Machine with Dryer Price
The dryer decides how reliable your production is. You have three options:
- Sun drying: no fuel cost and the lowest investment, but it needs a large yard and stops in rain
- Brick drying tunnel: built on site, affordable, and runs on wood, coal, diesel or gas
- Multi-layer metal dryer: fastest and most compact; adds roughly 30–50% to the machine price
ROI: How Fast Does an Egg Tray Plant Pay for Itself?
Here is a simple example for a 2,000-trays-per-hour plant on one shift:
- Monthly output: 2,000 trays × 8 hours × 25 days = 4,00,000 trays
- Production cost per tray: about ₹1.20–1.50 (waste paper, power, fuel and labour)
- Selling price per tray: about ₹1.80–2.20
- Margin per tray: about ₹0.50
- Monthly profit: about ₹2 lakh
With a total investment of about ₹35 lakh, the plant pays for itself in roughly 18 months on one shift. With a second shift and steady orders, payback can come in under a year.
Raw material is cheap and easy to find. One kilogram of waste paper makes roughly 10–12 trays, and you can buy it from scrap dealers, printing presses and offices.
These figures are illustrative. Your real numbers depend on local paper prices, fuel, electricity rates and what buyers pay in your area.
How to Choose the Best Egg Tray Making Machine Manufacturer in India
Before you order:
- See a working plant. Ask to visit a customer’s running machine, not just a demo unit.
- Talk to existing buyers. Ask how the machine performs after a year of use.
- Check the moulds. Mould quality decides how good your trays look and how well they sell.
- Confirm installation and training. Your operators should be able to run the machine on their own before the technician leaves.
- Ask about spare parts. Find out how quickly parts reach you and what they cost.
Egg Tray Making Machine Manufacturer in India: MEW Machines
MEW Machines is an Indian manufacturer of egg tray making machines and pulp molding machines. We have delivered more than 100 machines to customers across India and South Africa.
Our egg tray machines use the same pulping line as our other pulp molding equipment. If you want to expand later, you can add moulds for fruit trays, cup carriers or bottle trays instead of buying a new plant. That also keeps your long-term pulp molding machine price lower.
We also help with plant layout, dryer selection, installation and operator training.