If you employ or work in a food processing unit in Maharashtra, this page shows the current applicable minimum wage for the Food Processing scheduled employment in Maharashtra. The rates are set out by skill category so you can quickly find the figure that applies to a specific worker.
Minimum wage rates for Food Processing in Maharashtra
| Category | Basic | Special allow. | Total (Zone I) | Total (Zone II) | Total (Zone III) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Un-skilled | ₹10,021 | ₹3,900 | ₹13,921 | ₹13,325 | ₹12,728 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹10,856 | ₹3,900 | ₹14,756 | ₹14,160 | ₹13,564 |
| Skilled | ₹11,632 | ₹3,900 | ₹15,532 | ₹14,936 | ₹14,340 |
Rates effective 1 January to 30 June 2026.
What counts as Food Processing
Food Processing as a scheduled employment covers establishments that convert raw agricultural, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, and horticultural produce into processed, preserved, and packaged food products. It includes cleaning, grading, milling, cooking, canning, freezing, dehydration, fermentation, and packing of edible goods for sale or supply.
- Fruit and vegetable canning, freezing, and dehydration units
- Flour mills, rice mills, and other grain milling plants
- Bakery, biscuit, and confectionery manufacturing units
- Dairy processing and milk product plants
- Meat, poultry, and seafood processing and cold storage units
- Spice grinding, edible oil extraction, and masala packing units
- Snack food, ready-to-eat, and packaged food factories
Typical roles and skill categories
- Food processing machine operator (grinding, milling, filling)
- Processing helper and loader
- Grader, sorter, and cleaner of raw produce
- Packing, sealing, and labelling line worker
- Boiler and retort operator
- Cold storage and refrigeration attendant
- Weighing and batch mixing operator
- Quality control and food safety checker
- Production supervisor and line in-charge
In food processing, unskilled rates typically cover helpers, loaders, cleaners, and basic sorting staff, while semi-skilled rates cover packing line workers, machine feeders, and weighing operators. Skilled rates apply to trained machine, boiler, and retort operators and quality checkers, and highly-skilled rates apply to food technologists, specialized processing technicians, and production in-charges.
Who fixes this wage
Food Processing is a notified scheduled employment for which the Maharashtra government fixes minimum wages by skill category, that is unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly-skilled, and often by geographical zone. The rate that applies to a given worker therefore depends on their skill classification and the location of the unit.
How Maharashtra sets minimum wages
Maharashtra sets minimum wages under its Shops and Commercial Establishments schedule by building each rate from a basic component and a special allowance, then totalling the two across three zones. Rates are given for three categories, and the totals shown apply from 1 January to 30 June 2026, with a revised special allowance taking effect from 1 July 2026. This basic-plus-allowance method is how the state keeps wages current rather than a single consolidated figure.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Food Processing in Maharashtra?
In Maharashtra, the minimum wage for Food Processing currently runs from about ₹3900 to ₹15532 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 January to 30 June 2026. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Which units fall under the Food Processing scheduled employment in Maharashtra?
Units that clean, grade, mill, cook, preserve, freeze, dehydrate, ferment, or pack agricultural, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, or horticultural produce generally fall under this scheduled employment in Maharashtra. Where the Maharashtra government has issued a separate notification for a specific activity, such as rice milling or bakeries, that distinct schedule applies to those units instead.
How is the minimum wage decided for a food processing worker in Maharashtra?
The Maharashtra government sets the rate by the worker's skill category, that is unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, or highly-skilled, and often by the zone in which the unit is located. Classify each worker by the actual duties performed on the line rather than by job title alone, since the correct category decides the wage.
Do seasonal and temporary food processing workers get the minimum wage?
Yes, minimum wage protection covers seasonal, temporary, contract, and daily-wage workers engaged in food processing in Maharashtra in the same way as permanent staff. Perishable produce drives peak-season and shift-based hiring, but the applicable rate still depends on the worker's skill category, not on how long they are employed.
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