Potato is the most common vegetable that is eaten almost worldwide. Without it, we cannot imagine our life. However, not everyone knows that you can organize a business on potatoes. How to do this, you will read below.
Business Advantages
To begin with, we will understand why it is worth doing such a thing. The following business advantages can be distinguished.
- High profitability, which is about 160%. Potato is a product that is always in demand, especially in cities where there are practically no land plots or they are too small.
- It is enough to purchase several small tractors.
However, it should be noted that growing potatoes is associated with certain difficulties. First of all, the yield depends on the type of planting material, weather conditions and the degree of plant protection from pests.
Naturally, the soil requires periodic fertilizer and rest. There are other costs, such as fuels and lubricants, but the profitability of the business covers all the disadvantages. Moreover, you can organize such a business in a relatively small area.
What do you need to start?
If you are going to take this process seriously, then the business plan for growing potatoes provides for the collection of some documents. There are few of them. It is enough for you to arrange a private enterprise, as well as periodically carry out product control with the help of a sanitary station.
Naturally, your soil must also meet safety standards. That is, you should not cross the permissible edge of nitrates or other substances that you will bring into the ground. Of course, starting funds are also needed, which you can invest in.
Features of soil preparation and planting vegetables
In order for potato production to be profitable, you must take care of the soil in which your "gold" will grow. So, planting is done quite early, when the soil has already warmed up to +2 degrees. In addition, it must be plowed and fertilized. If there is little organic matter in the soil, but it is frozen on the street, then it can simply freeze, then there will be no sense in planting material.
As a fertilizer, biohumus, wood ash, bird droppings can be used. That is, soil enrichment is easy to make as cheap as possible. As for landing, it has its own characteristics. For example, the depth of the hole should not exceed 7 cm, and the distance between the rows is 80 cm. In this case, 10 cm between the bushes must be retreated so that the tubers can grow.
In addition, potatoes can be planted in advance. That is, you can plant it already with green sprouts. This process should occur with a maximum amount of sunlight, however, without direct exposure to rays.
Seed selection
A business plan for growing potatoes also provides for the correct selection of source material. It must necessarily be of high quality, since even under ideal conditions, degenerate seeds will not yield a good crop. All you need to do is purchase new tubers at a store, farm or online. And you need to do this in the early spring. Further, a new variety can be planted for several years in a row, until it degenerates.
Note that the seeds must have the same shape and size. The final product will also have the same potato size.In order to select material for the next planting, try to dig up the tubers 3 weeks after the flowering of the bushes begins. At the same time, choose thick stems of the same height. Naturally, you should note which grade and when it was dug up.
Crop care
In order to develop potato growing as a business, you should definitely take care of the bushes. For example, you need to organize the correct watering of plants. For this, professional drip irrigation is used, equipped with soil moisture sensors and automated operation. That is, if heavy rain has passed, then the system will not work until the humidity level drops below the required level. In addition, the liquid should not get on the leaves and flowers.
And another important criterion is regular fertilizer of the bushes. For this, mineral and organic products should be used simultaneously. Potatoes can be processed even before planting, as well as during growth.
Naturally, an earthing procedure should be carried out, which not only allows air to reach the potatoes, but also prevents weeds from growing. It must be carried out several times (at least 2).
Weed and Pest Management
No matter how good a business plan for growing potatoes is, a good harvest depends on the effectiveness of pest and weed control. In the second case, both mechanical and chemical elimination of unnecessary plants can be performed. Naturally, on large areas, the second type of event is used.
As for pests, especially the Colorado potato beetle, then poison can not be avoided. Potato can be processed with pesticides before planting or after it. In the first case, each vegetable is dipped in liquid. In this case, the beetles will not sit on already green bushes.
Processing and storage of products
Potato processing is a procedure that other people may already be involved in. Your task is to properly process the material, as well as create all conditions for proper storage. So, 40 days before you plan to plant potatoes, you need to spray a specially prepared solution on it. It is made from water (10 l), copper sulfate (20 g) and borax (100 g). Tubers must be processed from all sides.
Now consider the features of storing potatoes. All storage facilities must meet the required standards. This is most important for you, because how much the tubers can lie, how much of the total mass will need to be thrown out in case of decay (damage by rodents) depends on it. That is, the room must have an optimal level of humidity and a certain temperature (for winter storages).
In addition, try to protect the warehouse from rodents and other pests.
Features of sales and profitability of goods
A potato business can be very profitable. Naturally, before you start it, you will have to find those people who will buy the product. To do this, you need to research the market. You can offer your products to retail chains. At the same time, you must ensure that your product is of high quality: adhere to the actual shelf life, make sure that vegetables are not damaged. To do this, substandard goods should be quickly removed from the shelves.
You can sell potatoes in the market. In addition, with good promotion and excellent product quality, you will soon have wholesale customers. Well, if you trade during the price increase.
With regard to profitability, about 1 ton of product can be obtained from 1 ha of land using just 1 ton. In this case, you must necessarily plant, care, dig and store potatoes correctly. Of course, without starting costs, you cannot develop your business. Therefore, further you will find out what exactly you have to spend money on.
Financial expenses
A high-quality business plan for growing potatoes provides for certain material investments. So, what do you need to spend money on:
- Product purchase (500 kg of varietal potatoes - about $ 700, and ordinary seeds cost about 150 cu per half ton).
- Fertilizers, as well as pesticides - up to 220 dollars.
- Rental of heavy equipment for tillage - 10 y. e. per hour of work. At the same time, you have the opportunity to purchase your own mechanisms.
- Packaging for potatoes is about 75 oz. e.
- Combustive-lubricating materials - from $ 500.
- Salaries to workers - from 500 at. e.
- Warehouse rental - approximately 800-1000 dollars per month.
That is, the total cost of the costs is approximately 3500 y. e. However, with a quality landing, care, storage and timely sale, a profit of 20 tons is $ 5,000. Naturally, maybe more.
The increase in the amount of profit depends only on your investment and successful marketing, as well as how to care for plants, the size of the planting area. So if you have your own site where you can build a warehouse for products and a garage for equipment, then business expenses can significantly decrease. So develop a detailed plan for implementing this idea and go for it.
