Invest in Puducherry: Exploring Investment Opportunities

Tourist arrival of over 1.7 Mn in 2022

Agriculture and tourism sectors are major contributors to the economy of Puducherry and about 45% of the UT's population depends on agriculture and allied activities.

The main crop of this territory is paddy. The principal food crops are rice, maize, ragi, and pulses. The cash crops include cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds, coconut, sesame and chillies. The important horticultural products are bananas and mangoes.

Puducherry has mineral deposits of limestone, clay, lignite, phosphate rocks, canker, and laterite. Many lucrative investment opportunities in Puducherry are available as some of the territory's key industries include chemicals, textiles, leather, electronics, light engineering, metals, tourism and food processing.

Puducherry is situated on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Being a former French colony, the territory witnesses a prominent presence of French culture. The territory is conveniently located about 135 km away from Chennai, with a minor port located between two major ports at Chennai and Tuticorin. Gingee and Pennaiyar are the major rivers in the region. Ministry of Shipping has identified a lighthouse in the territory to be developed in phase-I of its Lighthouse Tourism initiative.

Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the most important occupations for the people of Puducherry

In November 2020, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) unveiled the ‘Potential Linked Credit Plan’ (PLP) for Puducherry worth $467.74 Mn for 2021-22 .
Vision 2047 is signified by the following targets for Agriculture and Fisheries
- GSDP of Primary Sector valued at INR 12,037 Cr by 2046-47.
- Targeted area under Pulses measuring 4500 Ha with an estimated production of 5400 MT by 2030.
- 100% supply of recycled water for Agriculture.

Tourism and hospitality

Puducherry is an attractive tourist destination with its beaches, French architecture, churches and Hindu temples

While domestically, tourist arrival was observed from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kerala, Chennai, Odisha and West Bengal, foreign travellers were mostly from European countries, especially France.
In 2022, Puducherry witnessed the arrival of 17 Lakh domestic tourists and ~9,000 foreign tourists.