Potato business. What kind of staff is needed to mark potato growing in a business plan? Choosing a taxation system

An excellent marketing plan was developed by Peter the Great in order to instill in the Russian people a love for the French root crop - potatoes. Now it is impossible to imagine traditional Russian cuisine without this vegetable, which is popularly called the second bread. The right business plan for growing potatoes is an opportunity to have a stable income from agricultural crops all year round.

Introduction

The technology of growing potatoes is known to almost everyone. It is associated with the hard work of a farmer, and even a whole crop-growing collective of state farmers, ranging from an agronomist to a machine operator and unskilled workers harvesting by hand. The list of professionals involved in the process of growing quality potatoes is actually more extensive:

• selector starts. His responsibilities include the selection of varieties and control over the correct care of plants.
• Vegetable growers implement the recommendations of the breeder in practice.
• Plowing, cultivating, harrowing, driving furrows for planting is the concern of machine operators.
• The crop storage and processing technician is responsible for correct harvesting, maintaining temperature and humidity.
• An agronomist is the organizer of the production process, setting the deadlines for each stage, following the latest industry developments, and modernizing production.
• Mechanics monitor the condition of technical equipment, test them before leaving for the field, and repair them in case of breakdown.

Basic expenses

For the production of potatoes, in a standard way, in large quantities, such a team is necessary, but this requires large financial investments. The main funds go to:

• acquisition of a fleet of agricultural machinery;
• at least once every 3 years, it is necessary to purchase planting material;
• equipping vegetable stores, maintaining their cleanliness from fungus, mold, pathogens of potato diseases;
• year-round wages with seasonal employment of most of the workforce.

It is difficult to talk about the profitability of such production when choosing potato cultivation as a profile direction. In order for production to be profitable all year round, in this case, crop production will have to be combined with meat and dairy farming. These are additional costs.

Business Description

A good harvest gives healthy varietal potatoes. It is more attractive to buyers due to its appearance, the similarity of tubers in size, taste, and starch content. Many parameters of potato production in the open field and in greenhouses are the same, therefore, at the planning stage, it is necessary to enlist the support of competent specialists - scientists involved in:

• selection;
• the study of potato diseases;
• methods of dealing with them;
• developing optimal technologies for growing healthy crops.

In addition to recommendations, research centers provide practical support in the form of chemical testing of planting material for the presence of infections of varying degrees. Sending a few selected tubers for examination is convenient if the purchase of seed potatoes was made not at the institute, but at a neighboring farm, collective farm.

Regular testing of the seed stock, already grown on our own farm, allows us to maintain the maximum return from each meter of land used for planting.

Where to get planting material

You can pick up high-quality planting material in different stores, but when contacting commercial enterprises, you cannot be 100% sure that it is the necessary variety that is on sale, and not mixed varieties obtained in the process of natural pollination by insects.

The seeds of elite varieties of potatoes are traded by scientific research institutes of potato farming. In the Moscow region, this is VNIIKH A.G. Lorch. The institute is sponsored from the federal budget. There are similar research centers in Minsk and the Krasnodar Territory. Having chosen for yourself the nearest of the centers, the work of which is supervised by the state, it is necessary to agree on a consultation with a specialist.

Based on the recommendations received, it remains to choose a potato variety that is optimal for growing in certain climatic conditions, for storage or early ripening. For warm regions and temperate latitudes, even when grown indoors, you should choose specific varieties that are resistant to certain types of potato pathogens.

In each region, the risk of infection with potato cancer, golden cyst nematode, Alternaria and other diseases is different for each variety, which directly depends on what qualities the breeders endowed it with during development. What is not terrible for some varieties in the northern regions, in the south it can completely destroy the crop of this variety when planted in areas with a warm, arid climate and vice versa.

An exception to this rule is the method of growing potatoes in a hydroponic setup, because the soil as such is not used, and the air in the room is filtered, all this prevents the ingress of infestations from the outside.

The peculiarity lies in the seasonality of the process. A maximum of two crops of potatoes can be harvested from one field, subject to the choice of a priority direction for the cultivation of early ripening varieties. The sale of fresh potatoes in the first half of summer gives an increased income from each kilogram of product sold. But! At the first early digging, the tubers do not increase the maximum weight characteristic of a particular variety.

Root crops that did not have time to gain marketable weight go to waste. Losses, in comparison with later diggings of potatoes, are up to 80%. The momentary benefit due to the willingness of consumers to overpay for a fresh, dense, starchy product will not cover the cost of the lost part of the crop. Only 10 days separate early ripening varieties from incomplete to full ripening.

The peculiarity of the selection of seed material for early-ripening varieties is that the tubers for planting are larger than those of late-ripening varieties. 10-40 grams from each tuber - a serious amount accumulates. The climatic features of many areas are unstable. Drought or heavy rains can make significant adjustments. This will affect not only the size of the tubers, but also their keeping quality.

With a quick sale of goods, no additional costs for storage are expected. When growing a large volume of crops, which is advisable when using large agricultural machines, you will need a vegetable store that meets all sanitary requirements.

One of the mandatory steps in growing potatoes is fertilizing as close to the roots as possible. It is produced after sowing to support plants during the period of the highest intensity of the development of the root system and plant growth. Root top dressing will not replace pre-sowing fertilizer application to the soil. Each stage of fertilization is an obligatory component of a whole range of measures to replenish the missing plant nutrients.

The introduction of intrasoil root dressing for root crops directly into the planting ditch is sprinkled with a thin layer of earth, ash or sand, which is dictated by the characteristics of the soil. Given that the growth of the root root increases by about 1 cm per day, the depth of the fertilizer from the tuber can be separated by a 2-4 cm layer of soil that does not prevent the penetration of water.

A growing root extracts free ions of useful substances for a plant from a distance of up to 2 cm, and only those absorbed by the soil that are located at a distance not exceeding 8 mm from it. The second method of applying root top dressing is fertigation (watering with water-soluble fertilizers).

Secrets of growing potatoes from a summer resident

Absorption of nutrients by roots can be passive (non-metabolic) and active (metabolic). The rate of use of minerals by plants is closely related to the availability of a nutrient source for the root system.

For large potato fields in dry areas, it is advisable to use irrigation irrigation systems. They cannot be used for the application of soluble fertilizers. For basal feeding, the drip system is more suitable.

Features of fertilizers for root dressings

Nitrogen fertilizers are applied at a time (by irrigation) in an amount of 20 to 30% of the total volume of fertilizers. Potassium in the composition of a balanced solution is present only at a certain phase of plant development. Its percentage to the total volume is the same as that of nitrogen.

Trace elements introduced by root feeding give a lesser effect than the foliar method.

The method of foliar top dressing shows the greatest efficiency from the use in areas of normal and excessive moisture in soils of light granulometric composition, in the soddy-podzolic zone, in the northern forest-steppe, in sandy loamy soils with low moisture permeability. In these cases, no additional costs are required for watering row crops, which include potatoes. Nature is responsible for the dissolution of dry fertilizers applied to the ground.

A huge disadvantage of root dressing is environmental pollution. In arid climates, this method of fertilization is not economically viable due to the incomplete dissolution of dry fertilizers in insufficiently moistened soil or the need to purchase irrigation irrigation systems.

If it is necessary to mechanize root fertilization, a hiller is required.

Non-standard potato growing

Significant savings on the purchase of agricultural heavy equipment, the maintenance of a staff of seasonal workers, reducing the time to grow crops to a minimum with high returns, optimizing manual labor (ideally, reducing it to a minimum) is the dream of every entrepreneur. In the field of crop production, this is the creation of a greenhouse complex.

Once choosing a potato variety, having studied the technology of its cultivation, you can abandon such staff positions as a breeder and agronomist. The absence of the need to cultivate large tracts of land eliminates the need for machine operators and related equipment, although a miniature walk-behind tractor is needed. But here, fuel savings are visible.

With the correct distribution of planting time, you can harvest every week and immediately, after appropriate tillage, plant potatoes again.

Given that fresh potatoes from late October to mid-July cost significantly more than what they got from the herd, the financial benefit is obvious even when taking into account the cost of electricity required for lighting, heating greenhouses and soil, and automatic soil moistening.

The absence of land when growing potatoes seems like a fantasy, but there is such a way. This excludes:

• use of tillage equipment;
• the time needed to recover before the next landing;
• periodic enrichment of the soil with fertilizers, humus;
• attracting mechanics.

Such a fantastic way of growing root crops is possible in aerohydroponic installations. A whole staff of plant growers will be replaced by one operator in a high-tech potato farm.

Aerohydroponics

The method of growing potatoes indoors does not require the usual soil, it is replaced by expanded clay. The cavities of this material perfectly retain moisture, which is often used by flower growers. But in potato cultivation, it is used so that the roots of the plant can easily penetrate the bottom of the plant. Calcined clay is not subject to soaking under constant exposure to water vapor, in view of this, plants take root quickly, passing through the soil and a solid mesh base.

Humus, peat and other types of soil that easily pass water vapor can be used as a substrate that provides support for the tops. They are poured into pots only in shape similar to flowers. The peculiarity of plastic containers is that its walls and bottom resemble a grid.

Industrial plant for large-scale production of root crops

The lower part of the aerohydroponic system is a sealed white box. White paint reflects heat better, which is important when growing crops. The size of the units depends on the needs of the production, some of them are a box with dimensions of 25 meters in length and 8 meters in width, which corresponds to the size of an industrial greenhouse. The irrigation system is driven by a circulation pump. Water enters the chamber not as a jet, but as a spray.

A powerful jet of water mist irrigates the root system automatically. Oxygenation for potatoes - saturation of the root system with a nutrient mixture enriched with oxygen. The pressure with which the water breaks against the sprayer drops somewhat, which protects the plants from damage, but it is quite enough to deliver oxygen to the roots. This method of mixing several components gave the name to the method - aerohydroponics.

The moisture supply is closed, not a single drop of the nutrient solution evaporates and does not fall into the ground or into the natural reservoir, respectively. Aerohydroponics is an eco-friendly way to harvest. At the same time, drops of excess moisture again fall into the tank with an aqueous solution of nutrients, which optimizes their consumption.

Diagram of a hydroponic setup

For a small room, white square-section boxes with sides of 12 cm are more suitable; their length can reach from 1 to 4 meters. Its edges are closed with hermetic lids, which is necessary to maintain an ordinal of liquid inside a closed compartment.

A tube of the appropriate diameter is connected to the hole on one side of the box through a dense rubber double-sided gasket. It is needed to reduce or increase the level of liquid that is constantly present in the growing chamber of root crops at the initial stage of growing potatoes, according to the principle of operation of connecting vessels. The initial water level in a closed gutter is 2 cm, as the root system lengthens, the water level gradually decreases.

The presence of dry fertilizers is unacceptable, but nutrients dissolved in water are constantly present in the chamber. They enter through a plastic hose passing inside the box. The nutrient system can pass stasis through several boxes with root crops. If it is a perforated hose, then it is installed at the bottom.

When using an external main pipe, it is necessary to make fertilizer supply holes in such a way that they do not fall on the resulting tubers. It is preferable that the nutrient solution hoses be fed directly into the water by dripping. A ready-made drip irrigation system for plants can serve as a fertilizing device. When placed in the center of the chamber, each irrigation channel will feed 4 plants with the mixture.

Substrates for growing potatoes with soil-free roots

The substrates replace the traditional soil, their feature is high porosity, which helps to retain moisture. Such a soil is saturated with oxygen, which is necessary for the root system during the period of its germination into the space of the lower chamber. The porosity of some materials reaches 35%, they are the best source of oxygen, due to which the yield increases significantly, the growth of plants accelerates.

The substrate material is selected according to the following criteria:

• the presence of sodium chloride (table salt) within the normal range;
• absence of toxic substances and heavy metals harmful to humans;
• the presence of substances potentially harmful to plants is unacceptable;
• the duration of the use of the substrate;
• the ability not to accumulate minerals;
• moisture capacity;
• water holding capacity;
• neutrality - no effect on the pH and electrical conductivity of the medium.

The balance between the ability to retain moisture and part with it should be optimal. With a strong moisture retention, the plant will die, and with a weak moisture retention, the substrate will dry out extremely quickly in the process of natural evaporation.

NO 3 - - nitrogen fertilizer, used in hydroponics due to such qualities as solubility in water and a low degree of attraction of positively charged particles. Plants easily extract it from the substrate. Another source of nitrogen NH 4 + is a magnet for negatively charged particles, which blocks its availability to the plant root system.

Long-term use of substrates leads to the accumulation of dead organic matter, dry salts. This violates the homogeneity of the structure of many types of substrates due to the formation of sinuses - they are destroyed, which leads to a decrease in yield. Prolonged use of one substrate can lead to the growth of bacteria.

Types of substrates

organic	Inorganic	High molecular weight synthetic compounds
peat moss	gravel	expanded polystyrene
coconut coir	glass wool	polyurethane
sphagnum moss	crushed granite	thermoplastic polymers
sawdust	lava rocks	synthetic foam resins
tree bark	sand
rice husk	expanded clay
cotton waste	mineral wool (grodan)
high-moor peat	expanded vermiculite
	hydrogel
	pumice
	zeolites
	perlite
	coal slag

Despite all the advantages of substrates over dense soils, artificial soil substitutes have several significant drawbacks - clogging of pores with root secretions and processes. Artificial materials create an ideal environment for the development of the root-knot nematode.

The use of solid soil substitutes involves the costs of harvesting, shipping, distributing heavy material throughout the greenhouse, regeneration, sterilization and washing after a certain period of operation.

Nutrient solutions for hydroponic crops

Today, 500 different formulations have been developed to feed plants grown without soil. Only strict adherence to the proportions of nutrient and water allows you to grow a healthy crop.

Solutions that are very different in composition, the ratio of nutrient ions. Such an assortment is explained by the peculiarity of the dependence of plant nutrition on the biological characteristics of the variety and external factors - temperature and light conditions.

The amount of nutrients in the solution varies depending on the season. The summer diet of plants is rich in nitrogen, in winter - magnesium, potassium, phosphorus. Influences the choice of top dressing and the phase of plant development, which is reflected in the amount of minerals in the nutrient solution.

Hydroponics Methods

Hydroponics is the common name for several potato growing technologies, literally meaning “working solution”. This method is old, according to its principle, one of the seven wonders of the world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, was grown.

To date, the following schemes are widely used:

Aggregatoponics provides for the use of solid substrates with minimal moisture capacity. Plants take root in gravel, crushed stone or other solid material into which a nutrient solution is supplied.

water culture- this method involves growing in an aquatic environment. The complexity of the scheme lies in the impossibility of accurate dosing of top dressing and the lack of the possibility of uninterrupted complex nutrition of the root system with minerals and air.

Chemoponics- This is a scheme for growing plants in loose organic matter with a 30 percent degree of decomposition. The terms of use of the organic substrate do not exceed two years. Some types of natural materials require preliminary preparation - grinding, adjusting the reaction of the environment. For example, reducing the level of salts in the coconut substrate, grinding tree bark. The mineral composition is applied by surface irrigation. The main advantage is the lack of specialized equipment.

ionitoponics- a method of growing in a complex substrate consisting of 2 ion-exchange synthetic resins. Both ingredients (KU-2 cation exchanger and EDE-10P anion exchanger) are characterized as strong, chemically resistant to oxidation in the light or at high temperature. Clean water is used for irrigation, because all the necessary nutrients are in the substrate - artificially created soil.

- a method of growing crops that does not require a substrate. Spraying the root system of plants with a nutrient solution is carried out through nozzles at regular intervals, every 12 to 15 minutes. The cycle lasts 5-7 seconds. Maximum oxygen supply to the roots and constant moisture give the maximum return. The circuit operates in automatic mode, in the event of a power outage, its own emergency generator is needed.

Subirrigation- the method of flooding consists in planting plants in waterproof trays filled with permeable artificial substrates. They are placed on shelves. Humidification with a nutrient solution is made from below. At the end of the supply of the nutrient mixture, its excess returns to the tank by gravity.

The biochemical principles of all types of growing hydroponic crops include feeding the roots of the plant from the air with oxygen, a nutrient solution from water or a substrate that replaces the soil.

The effectiveness of the method of growing plants without soil lies in the easy availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, minerals and other useful substances for the roots.

Based on the fact that the most unpleasant and expensive thing in potato crop production is its storage, we have to admit that hydroponics opens up new horizons for entrepreneurs:

• warehouses are not needed if the goods are immediately sent for sale. So, there is no need to sort it out.
• There is no need to plow the land, polluting the atmosphere with exhaust gases, and the water of rivers with runoff of inorganic fertilizers, massively washed out of the soil by melt water.
• Hard physical labor in the field, under any weather conditions, is replaced by the comfortable climate of a greenhouse or other adapted premises.
• The work of the potato grower becomes year-round, not seasonal, which implies a stable monthly income for workers.
• The same harvest that is obtained during the summer from 50 hectares can be grown in greenhouses on one and a half hectares in a year.

We have to admit that hydroponics is an ancient technology that will amaze with its simplicity and efficiency. In modern conditions, potatoes can be grown even at the South Pole.

Description of services

The services of greenhouses, farms and stations for the cultivation of hydroponic crops consist in the supply of a quality food product, free from pesticides and other substances harmful to human health accumulated in the root crop.

Food retail stores, agricultural exhibitions, fairs, markets, catering points, schools, kindergartens, medical hospitals, nursing homes, camps and summer recreation centers can become points of sale for products. All organizations that provide daily food for people can be considered as potential purchasers of agricultural products.

It remains only to convince them of the high quality of the goods, purity and other advantages of the product. In this case, the cost is not a fundamental factor, but it will automatically be lower than for similar products delivered from distant areas. The proof that a potato is clean is not only its appearance, but also its food certificate. To get it, you need to test the product. The best protection for the product will be the conclusion of specialists from the Institute of Plant Growing.

An additional trump card in the hands of the manufacturer is the delivery of a consignment of goods determined by weight by their own vehicles. Regular deliveries are a benefit for both the supplier and the consumer. Established sales channels mean mutual trust. The consumer is confident in the quality of the product, its taste, and the supplier in the solvency and honesty of the buyer.

The duration of the partnership between the producer of agricultural products and the wholesale or small wholesale purchaser of it allows, with daily or weekly deliveries of goods to the point, to receive cash or non-cash payment in large amounts once or twice a month. But this aspect should be reflected in the contract between the parties to the transaction and supported by invoices.

Market analysis

Oddly enough, the study of the agricultural market of the area must begin with a visit to the grocery stores, and not from farms where potatoes are grown. As a rule, with large suppliers of root crops many years ago, agreements were concluded for large wholesale with agricultural warehouses that redistribute goods between stores of a large distribution network.

Finding locally produced goods in nearby stores becomes an extremely difficult task, even in developed agricultural areas. On the shelves you can often find potatoes brought from distant corners. Root crops do not always have an attractive appearance. The lack of mandatory certification of goods grown on farms has led to the fact that sick potatoes enter the trade network.

It is clear that they buy it rotten, sick, cut potatoes out of desperation. It is necessary to find out from the seller what criteria for the selection of products are based on his merchandiser when choosing a supplier. Perhaps it is this store that needs a new channel for the delivery of goods. A wide assortment of a store is not an indicator that it does not need new suppliers, especially if the profit in it is made not by raising prices, but by increasing turnover.

Commodity experts are a source of information about the specific needs of each microdistrict for potatoes. Somewhere statistics are based on daily deliveries, in large stores, calculated data can be provided for a week or a month. It remains to bring the data together to find out the specific figure for the consumption of potatoes grown in a specific way.

Unsorted cheap potatoes can be ignored. Despite its relatively low cost, it turns out to be the most expensive for the buyer due to natural losses during cleaning.

Smooth varietal potatoes with traces similar to a thin coating of ash, slag are a product of greenhouse cultivation without the use of a complex expensive installation. The advantage of this potato is a long shelf life with preservation of taste and nutritional properties. As a rule, these are even, almost identical in shape and weight tubers of early ripening varieties. If such goods are brought from nearby areas, then this is a serious bid for competition.

The most expensive potato that can be found in the store is positioned as "washed". It is very strange in the middle of winter or spring that such fresh potatoes look next to those grown in the open. It is extremely difficult to believe that it is specially washed. This is one of the marketing ploys to promote tubers grown in an aeroponic plant.

Having found out the need of the population for the needs of the population in potatoes grown in specific conditions, specifying the readiness of retail outlets to accept locally produced goods for sale, one can proceed to a detailed development of the plan.

Marketing plan

Potatoes do not need advertising, the number of dishes prepared from them will not surprise anyone. It remains to properly present your product. No need to convince the layman that the potatoes are washed. By and large, he was washed every 15 minutes during the entire time he was in the growth chamber. The naked truth can alert many, due to which the number of consumers will decrease. The lack of information in the media leads to the fact that the consumer is not ready to fully accept some ways of growing potatoes.

With tubers that look too fresh for a particular season, but have a semblance of earth on the skin, things are easier. They can be sold as a fresh crop grown in a greenhouse, which is also true to some extent. To promote a product in demand, it is enough to provide convenience for the buyer - packing in nets or paper bags with a window.

Production plan

The regional administration approved the allocation of land plots with a total area of ​​50 hectares for farming for 99 years at a fixed cost of 650 rubles per hectare per year (with the right to purchase).

Of the total, 13 hectares are abandoned arable land, and unclaimed after fallow for many years. It is planned to use them in the spring sowing for planting potatoes - 14 hectares for the early ripe variety "Bullfinch" and 20 hectares for late-ripening potatoes "Nevsky".

2 hectares of land allocated in the forest area will remain for mowing, due to the need to insulate concrete herds with natural materials. 1 ha of land remains under:

• construction of a metal garage;
• warehouse premises:
• tent for drying potatoes and sorting them.

At the sale of the equipment of the liquidated state farm, it is planned to purchase, at a residual value, a DT-75 wheeled tractor with attached interchangeable equipment and a GAZ-53 flatbed truck. The distance from large cities and popular holiday destinations is at least 200 km, which significantly reduces the payment for renting a land plot. The market for the sale of goods with the lowest transport and time costs is provided by the population of 5 cities (with a population of 80–92 thousand people) located within a radius of 50 km from the territory of production of the goods.

Carry out registration of a peasant farm under the form of taxation of the Unified Agricultural Tax. Build until April 1 storage of seed material, threshing floor. Buy up to April 15 seeds of elite potatoes, selected varieties, and fertilizers. Without reference to a specific date, build an insulated hangar-garage with profiled sheeting.

organizational plan

Due to the seasonal nature of the main work, it is planned to attract personnel with several related professions to the team.

• Tractor mechanic;
• Agronomist-breeder;
• Accountant, clerk, sales manager, business owner all rolled into one;
• 5 handymen (seasonal).

If there is a shortage of workers for the time of harvesting, it is planned to involve the local population on a piece-rate basis. Complete state formation by April 15th. All stages of agricultural work are carried out according to the crop calendar and scientifically developed technologies for cultivating selected varieties.

Financial section

Annual cost of potato production on a farm with employees

Explanations:

1. Additional payments are made based on the results of the season, taking into account the KTU and the efficiency of each employee.
2. Consumables - fuels and lubricants, spare parts for equipment repair, fertilizers.
3. The cost of purchasing 1.5 tons of planting material is current as of February 2018.

One-time costs when starting a business:

• Acquisition and restoration of decommissioned equipment 68,000 rubles;
• Construction of agricultural buildings 32,000 rubles.
• Registration of an enterprise;

The cost of starting a business, excluding wages, does not exceed 3 million rubles. With the promised yield (average) of 2700 kg per hectare, the expected return is at least 135 tons of potatoes. With the planned average cost, taking into account seasonal price fluctuations, the revenue for the goods will be 2,700,000 rubles.

This business will pay off in one year under favorable circumstances.

Financial section of greenhouse potato farming

The method of growing potatoes in a greenhouse economy was chosen with the planting of tubers in the beds, which eliminates the stage of hilling. The absence of land-cultivating equipment saves on the purchase of fuels and lubricants.

Recurring expenses

№	Item of expenses	Amount per year (in rubles)
1	Rent 5 hectares of land	4 000
2	Agreement with the water utility	10 000
3	Payment for electricity and water supply (according to meters)	≈ 60 000
4	Seed fund renewal	4 700
5	Purchase of balanced liquid fertilizer concentrates	12 000
6	Paying taxes	6% of net profit
7	Accountant salary (outsourcing)	18 000

One-time costs

№	Item of expenses	Amount per year (in rubles)
	Purchase of ready-made greenhouse kits	1 250 000
1	Concreting of bases for greenhouses	32 000
2	Procurement and installation of earth heating cables	12000
3	Conducting electrical wiring (with the installation of fluorescent lamps) to the greenhouse complex	60 000
4	Assembling an automatic irrigation system	13 000
5	Installing a water storage tank	17 000
6	Filling with gravel approaches to greenhouses	9 000
7	Expenses not included	20 000
8	Production registration	3 500

Explanation: the article on unaccounted expenses appeared due to the instability of prices and the inability to foresee all the necessary associated costs for the installation of communications.

According to preliminary calculations, with year-round potato cultivation, 7 full-fledged crops are obtained, which is equal to ≥ 245 tons of varietal potatoes, and this is a gross income exceeding 6,000,000 rubles. The business pays off within 1.5 years.

The table of expenses for a potato growing station without soil is supplemented by an article for the purchase of a substrate, nutrient solutions will cost a little more. The remaining calculations made for greenhouse farming are relevant for the method of growing hydroponic crops.

Risk analysis and insurance

The main risks in potato growing are diseases that can partially or completely destroy the crop. The main insurance is the prevention of diseases. Preventive tillage from pathogens will only give the desired effect if the entire batch of seed potatoes is clean. Only potato research centers can give such a guarantee with full responsibility. It is necessary to purchase planting material in specialized stores at scientific centers.

Visual inspection of the seed fund should become a tradition before laying the tubers for storage and before planting in the ground. Seed potatoes are stored separately from products prepared for sale, they need a special moisture regime.

The refusal of one or more stores to accept goods for sale is not a reason to despair. An onboard car with 3 tons of potatoes in large bags will empty quickly enough, even with a slight difference from the store value of 1-2 rubles. Given the percentage of the purchase and retail prices, this method of sales will be more profitable for the manufacturer.

The only obstacle to the trade of potatoes from an open car body is the temperature of the air below -5° C. At this temperature, potatoes acquire a sweetish taste - this is not a backup way out of this situation, but direct harm to one's own business. The cost of potatoes in winter and spring practically does not change. At least it will not become cheaper until the new harvest. By taking care of high-quality storage and systematic planned sorting of goods, significant losses of root crops can be avoided.

Proper humidity and constant air temperature in the vegetable store will help keep potatoes with a good presentation and excellent taste until the next harvest. So, it can be sold with the onset of spring.

The risks associated with crop damage during natural disasters - fire, flood, are insured events, as well as theft, intentional damage to storage facilities and equipment by intruders. All possible risks must be included in the insurance policy.

Conclusion

Potato growing can be unprofitable when an entrepreneur tries to save money on the purchase of proven seed material, unwillingness to listen to the arguments of scientists who develop optimal solutions for selecting a potato variety and fertilizer for it, taking into account the quality of the soil. Growing potatoes is the type of business that can be expanded gradually by completing and equipping 1-2 greenhouses annually.

The head of the peasant farm on the cultivation and marketing of potatoes

All over the world, organic products grown in natural conditions without the addition of chemicals are valued. It is popular in many industries: cosmetic, agricultural and others. The main one is the food industry, which will always occupy a leading position in the hierarchy of human needs. Therefore, food is one of the most profitable market niches that will help every entrepreneur earn their first million. Potatoes have always been and remain the most sought-after food product, so a potato growing business plan is the very project that will be profitable under any conditions. And 5 tons of harvest from 1 hectare of the field are impressive indicators that force startups to act urgently and make their dream come true. This business plan for growing potatoes with calculations contains a detailed market analysis and step-by-step instructions for project implementation, taking into account all the nuances and possible risks.

Market analysis

For most Russians, potatoes are one of the main and most important vegetables. According to statistics, every citizen of the country eats about 85 kg of potatoes annually. So, the demand for this product remains stable.

The best varieties of potatoes are Ryabinushka and Radonezhsky. Both varieties are resistant to climatic conditions and diseases and yield about 5 tons per 1 ha of field, which is three times more than the yield of other vegetable varieties. A distinctive feature of the variety "Radonezh" is the ability to produce 2 crops per year.

The most popular technologies for growing potatoes are the Dutch method, growing potatoes under straw, Mittlider technology. Potatoes grown according to Dutch technology give the largest and healthiest harvest.

The yield of a potato field is influenced by several factors: the choice of plant variety, the fertile qualities of the land plot and the efficiency of vegetable growing technology. In addition, it is important to timely fertilize the soil with high-quality humus, water the garden, and control pests. However, even if all the rules and regulations for planting potatoes are observed, one should not expect 100% yield, because. crops can be influenced by natural factors beyond the control of man.

Project Summary

Starting capital: 7,000,000 rubles.

Organizational and legal form: peasant farm.

Services provided: marketing of grown products (potatoes).

Planting material: potato variety "Pigeon".

Technologies used: Dutch method of growing potatoes.

Estimated annual yield: 2,500,000 rubles.

Payback: 2.5 years.

When implementing the project, it is first necessary to find and rent a land plot, the area of ​​​​which is 10 hectares. At the same time, the lease agreement is concluded for a period of 50 years with the right of subsequent redemption. It is desirable to place a land plot near the city (up to 100 km). This will ensure a stable sales market and savings on rent (about 250 thousand rubles annually).

As a form of management, we choose KFH. The most favorable taxation system under these conditions is the UAT with 6% of profits.

After registration, the entrepreneur must purchase equipment, recruit staff and purchase planting material.

Starting the main part of the project, growing potatoes, the business owner must take care of the cultivation of the soil and its preparation for sowing, and then carry out sowing work. All of the above activities must clearly comply with the Dutch technology for growing vegetables.

During the growth of plants, it is important to carry out work on their processing and watering in a timely manner.

Ultimately, all employees must harvest and work on the effective marketing of goods.

Equipment

№	Name	Amount, rub.
1	Tractor	900 000
2	potato planter	400 000
3	sorting line	400 000
4	Inter-row tillage machine	350 000
5	Potato harvester	450 000
Total: 2,500,000 rubles

Personnel composition

№	Job title	Quantity, pers.	Salary, rub.	Amount, rub.
1	machine operator	2	11 000	22 000
2	Handyman	4	7 000	28 000
3	Manager	1	17 000	17 000
4	Mechanic	1	13 000	13 000
5	security guard (during the summer)	3	5 000	15 000
6	Accountant (outsourcing company)	1	5 000	5 000
Total: 550,000 rubles

Agrotechnical moments

On a land plot of 10 hectares, an elite variety of potato "Pigeon" will be used as planting material, the cost of which reaches 40 rubles per kg. The purchase of seedlings will cost the entrepreneur 800,000 rubles.

The construction of a storage facility for potatoes, which will keep vegetables in a marketable condition until the spring season, when the price of the product increases several times, will cost about 3,000,000 rubles.

Potato growing technology

The Dutch method involves growing a vegetable in natural conditions with minimal costs. The peculiarity of this method is the minimal use of mechanical impact on plants and the field as a whole.

Soil aeration is another distinctive feature of the method, which allows you to create natural ventilation of the soil in order to mix ground and atmospheric air. To do this, the soil is loosened, and the potatoes are placed in the ridges. It is important to make wide indents between rows with plants.

Thanks to this technology, about 2 kg of potatoes can be obtained from a grown bush. The resulting fruits can easily endure long-term storage in special conditions for this.

There are nuances that must be observed when using the Dutch technology in order to obtain a good harvest, namely:

• Tubers should be large and have at least 5 eyes.
• Before planting, potatoes must be warmed up in a bright place (temperature up to 180 degrees).
• Before the sprouts reach a height of 20 mm, you need to reduce the temperature in the room to 8 degrees.
• Before planting, it is advisable to divide the potatoes in half to increase the yield.
• Planting seedlings should take place as soon as the soil becomes well warmed up.

planting potatoes

The formation of beds for planting is an important stage in the process of growing vegetables. So that the bushes are evenly lit, the beds are formed from north to south. The row spacing is 750 mm. The depth of the holes is 850 mm, the clearance between them is up to 300 mm.

Seeds must be placed in the holes upside down. An embankment with a height of about 100 mm is made from above. The embankment is increased gradually, depending on the growth of the bushes.

It is important to follow the rule: no more than 600 plants can be planted per 100 squares.

Care and harvest

It is necessary to water the plants three times during the entire period of their growth: when the first sprouts appear, before flowering and after it.

Pest control is best started before flowering plants. For this, potato tops are treated with products that are sold in specialized stores.

Harvesting begins in early August (for the selection of seed material), and by the end of the month, the crop is harvested for food purposes. It is important to remember that 10 days before harvesting, it is necessary to remove the tops.

This technology contributes to good yields and product safety.

Storage

The room for storing potatoes should be dry and cool, protected from the sun, with a temperature of up to 5 degrees and air humidity up to 90%. After harvesting, the product must be kept in a room with a temperature of up to 17 degrees for 2 weeks. After that, the temperature at the place of storage of the goods is gradually reduced, bringing it to the level of 5 degrees.

Low indoor humidity can cause the potatoes to discolor. Green potatoes may be suitable for planting, but are contraindicated for eating.

This method of storage contributes to the healing of fruit lesions that may have occurred during the harvesting of the land.

Sale of goods

The sale of grown potatoes can be carried out through the following channels:

• Cooperation with large retail chains.
• Conclusion of a contract with wholesalers.
• Selling products at fairs and food markets.
• Selling goods to grocery stores.
• Sales of products to processing organizations.

Solving issues with long-term storage of potatoes can contribute to its sale in the winter season at a higher price.

The environmental qualities of the product being sold can also affect its price and significantly increase the demand for products.

Financial plan

Starting costs

№	Name	Amount, rub.
1	Site design	200 000
2	Buying seedlings	800 000
3	Purchase of equipment	2 500 000
4	Construction of storage for vegetables	3 000 000
5	Purchase of fertilizers, means for soil treatment	100 000
6	Business registration	100 000
7	other expenses	300 000
Total: 7,000,000 rubles

Annual expenses

№	Name	Amount, rub.
1	Land lease	240 000
2	Employee salaries, tax deductions	700 000
3	Expenses for funds for soil treatment	165 000
4	Harvester repair	100 000
5	Depreciation	100 000
6	Expenses for fuels and lubricants	200 000
7	Vegetable storage costs	130 000
8	Accounting expenses	80 000
9	Other expenses	50 000
Total: 1,765,000 rubles

Income

The annual profit from the business will be about 4,500,000 rubles. However, minus annual expenses, it will amount to 2,735,000 rubles. Taking into account the tax deductions for the Unified Agricultural Tax, the net profit from the project will be: 2,735,000 - 164,100 = 2,570,900 rubles.

The predicted profit will become real only in the case of 100% sales of the grown products. Under such conditions, the payback of the business will come already in the 3rd year of the fruitful work of the enterprise. Given the possible risks, it is worth noting that in practice the payback of the business will come after 4 years of hard work in the field.

Risks

Before implementing this business plan, it is necessary to conduct a thorough analysis of the risks that an entrepreneur may encounter along the way.

The most common risk in this industry is investment risk. This is the risk associated with the occurrence of unforeseen monetary losses due to the inconsistent investment conditions of the project.

In addition, there are other factors that can somehow affect the profitability of a business:

• Crop failure. To avoid large financial losses, crop insurance costs must be included in the underlying assumptions.
• Inexperience. To avoid this risk, you must strictly adhere to the chosen growing technology, and if you have any questions, contact specialists for help.
• Price instability. This risk can be combated by entering into long-term supply contracts in advance.
• Competition. A thorough analysis of the work of competitors will help to take a leading position in the market (it is necessary to use the weaknesses of a competitor in favor of the work of your own enterprise).

Eventually

This example of a production plan indicates the cost of the business at first. But when implementing it, it is worth remembering that potato growing is a win-win option for starting a career that will not lose popularity over the years. This means that the profitability of the business is extremely high, and the business is able to generate income for many years.

The potato growing business itself is a profitable business. However, the amount of profit depends on the skillful implementation of the project. Therefore, the emphasis must be placed on the quality of the products grown. It must be remembered that an environmentally friendly organic product is valued many times more than a product created using chemicals. Of course, the investment in an organic product is quite large. But the income from these products will not be long in coming.

The opinion that the agricultural business is unprofitable is erroneous. Only those who either do not understand anything about it, or do not have patience, logical thinking and are not in the mood to work hard, believe in it. There are a lot of areas of this kind of activity, among them a special place is occupied by the cultivation of potatoes.

Pros and cons of the potato business

The main advantage is the high demand for such a common vegetable, without which not a single family, not a single person can do almost every day. In terms of popularity, potatoes are not inferior to any other vegetable. Based on this, profitability business on its cultivation can reach more than 160%.

Relatively small investment in business, the return of which can be obtained after the first harvest, is another pro factor.

By growing potatoes in small batches, you can save on tax payments, which in this case are not required.

If the soil is sufficiently enriched with organic fertilizers, you can do without fertilizers - this is also a clear plus.

The cultivation process does not require complex technological knowledge, in addition, this product is in high demand all year round. And if you take care of good storage conditions, and choose the moment of sale when potato prices are highest, you can significantly increase income.

Fast payback business is also a significant benefit.

Technique for potato growing, a special, oversized one is needed - plows, a mini-tractor, a hiller.

If speak about cons, there are points of contention here. Many obsess over the risks associated with weather conditions not always conducive to yield or planting material quality, and the complexities of pest control. However, all these problems can be overcome with the help of modern technology. If you use high-quality fertilizers and effective remedies for the Colorado potato beetle and diseases, then no climatic conditions will affect the results of the crop.

Of course, a serious minus can be called - this is a low price and cultivation only once a year during the warm season. But this problem is easy to solve if you make the right calculations and establish sales.

The business is seasonal, and in winter the farmer is practically out of work. But in order to consider this fact as an opportunity to engage in some other type of income-generating activity, it will by no means be a minus.

Features of growing potatoes

Business success depends on a professional approach to the implementation of the main production process. In our case, we are talking about the technology of growing potatoes.

There are two options: planting early-ripening varieties in greenhouses in such a period that the potatoes are ripe by the beginning of spring, and growing in the usual way in open ground.

If you are betting on a more substantial profit, you should try the first method, because early potatoes can be sold at a higher price. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the upcoming costs for the installation of greenhouses. This option is more suitable for experienced potato growers who know all the intricacies of growing this vegetable.

It is better for a novice entrepreneur to choose the second method. Firstly, there are minimal costs, and secondly, the growing process itself is simple and familiar even to a non-professional.

It is not difficult to grow potatoes, but it is necessary to follow the technology, which provides for the passage of the following stages:

1. Acquisition of planting material and its preparation for sowing.
2. Soil preparation.
3. Planting potatoes.
4. Hilling.
5. Treatment with special preparations against pests.
6. Soil fertilization.
7. Harvest.
8. Preparation of a special storage room.
9. Sorting, sorting.
10. Package.
11. Sales.

Even with minimal business volumes, it is impossible to do without special equipment, which will greatly facilitate the cultivation, planting, care and harvesting of potatoes. To work on a land area of ​​half a hectare, you must have:

• walk-behind tractor or small tractor;
• plow;
• hiller;
• potato digger.

It is in vain to wait for a good harvest if you do not take care of the fertility of the soil. Experienced farmers use the following types fertilizer:

• ammonium sulfate;
• potassium sulfate;
• potassium superphosphate;
• biohumus;
• ash.

To achieve fertile soil quality, you will have to incur fertilizer costs at the rate of about 20 rubles. per 1 sq. m of land. However, in reality, these are not costs, but an investment, because the fed land will return everything a hundredfold in the form of a high harvest.

The main stumbling block in this business is Colorado beetle, which for many decades continues to be a clear threat to the potato crop. Unfortunately, we still have to use chemicals. According to average estimates, you will have to incur expenses for the purchase of funds from this insidious pest of about 3 thousand rubles. on 35 acres of land.

requirements for seeds

Anyone who has ever grown potatoes for personal use knows how important it is for planting material to be of high quality. There are requirements for this:

• Do not mix varieties.
• The size of the potatoes should be as uniform as possible.

Seed preparation begins in the fall. To do this, the potatoes are sorted, giving preference to the healthiest (without suspicious spots, cuts, or other damage). The seed material is subjected to gardening, laying out for 3 weeks in the light (exclude direct sunlight).

For further storage, the seeds are sent to a warehouse with an air temperature of no more than +3 and high humidity (maximum 80%).

During the winter, it is worth checking the condition of the seeds several times. If damaged copies appear, they must be immediately removed and discarded.

A month before planting, the seeds are taken out into the light in a place warmer than in the warehouse for germination. If large tubers come across, they are cut into pieces so that at least 3 eyes remain in each of them. Ideally, it is recommended that cutting be done immediately on the day of disembarkation. But in both cases, the incision site should be treated with wood resin.

Such detailed actions are carried out with a small scale of business. When grown on an industrial scale, such a process will require automated installations that completely replace manual labor.

planting potatoes

There are no recommendations for all occasions, the sowing time is dictated by the weather and the climatic features of a particular area. You can only navigate by the temperature indicator: when the soil warms up to 12 degrees, you can start planting.

Before planting, the soil is loosened manually with shovels or a tractor over large areas. This process will provide the plant with enough air and retain moisture.

Potatoes are planted in rows, the distance between which is at least 1 m. This contributes to the active development of the bush and the convenience of harvesting using specialized equipment - milling units. If the distance is smaller, then even with manual processing, the roots can be damaged, thereby slowing down the growing season.

Embarkation depth- about 8 cm, sowing is closed with an earthen ridge up to 10 cm high.

After 2 weeks, the first weed treatment is carried out and hilling(raise the comb another 10 cm). Light, loose soil is poured on top, which will allow the tubers to form well.

Potato needs watering. If no rain is expected, it should be done at least 2 times a week. If the air is humid, then water it once every 7 days.

At the very beginning of flowering, preventive treatment is carried out against late blight and the most malicious enemy of potatoes - the Colorado potato beetle. During the season, such treatments are carried out up to 5 times.

When processing potatoes from pests and diseases, it is necessary to follow the recommendations indicated on the package of the drug.

Setting up a potato business

If we are talking about small volumes of production, when almost all work is done independently on our own land, you can do without documents. Growing potatoes and then selling them is also a business, but it can be said to be inferior. It is rather a small part-time job, an additional income to the family budget. Yes, and without documents, you will have to sell the goods with your own hands.

If we talk about a solid scale, you have to go through registration individual entrepreneurship of agriculture in the tax office in the form A.01,13,21. It is recommended to choose the ESHN taxation system.

You can learn more about this tax regime from the following article:. It is this form of doing business that is more acceptable for the businessman himself and his partners. This form is simple and convenient for both parties.

Organization of the sale of potatoes

Long before the start of the cultivation of the first potato crop, it is imperative to work out the issue of marketing and establish contacts with potential partners with whom long-term cooperation contracts can be concluded.

If large-scale production is planned, it is worth establishing contacts with large retail chains in advance. To do this, you need to prepare your product so that it has a presentable appearance: washed, neatly packed in clean sealed bags.

Selling on the market is also possible, it is especially profitable at the time of raising prices. If it is not possible to stand behind the counter yourself, you can find a wholesale buyer in the same market. This makes sense, because potatoes are a product that requires special storage conditions, otherwise it will begin to deteriorate (rot, wither, sprout). With wholesale, it is possible to sell goods in a short time and calculate income.

It is worth considering that with proper adherence to the requirements of technology, you can grow up to 20 tons of potatoes per 1 hectare. If at the same time you have a permanent buyer, then you can fully count on a high income.

The financial side of the potato business

Turning potato farming into a profitable business requires a systematic approach. For this, a business plan is drawn up. The most important part of it is financial calculations with clearly balanced costs, income and profit.

The following are excluded expenses:

• Purchase of seed material.
• Purchase of chemicals for treatment against pests and diseases.
• Fertilizers.
• Special equipment (purchase or rent).
• Packing material.
• Salary in the case of hiring workers with large volumes of production.
• Fare.
• Payment of taxes.

The amount of costs may vary depending on factors such as the availability of own warehouses, technical equipment for storing and growing crops or their rental.

Approximate calculations:

• Costs about 450 thousand rubles.
• 22 tons of potatoes were harvested.
• After the bulkhead about 2.5 tons of marriage.
• The average cost of 1 kg of potatoes is 50 rubles.
• When selling 19.5 (22 - 2.5) tons, the proceeds will amount to 975 thousand rubles.
• Profit - 525 thousand rubles. (975 - 450).

"Potato" business (video)

The technology and stages of growing potatoes, as well as the advantages of this type of business, are described in the video presented.

Growing potatoes can earn more than 100% of the return on investment. This means that this type of business is quite profitable. To do this, it is necessary to make efforts, take a responsible attitude to the issues of soil condition, control pests and diseases, ensure proper storage and marketing of the grown crop.

Growing potatoes as a business is a profitable activity, because such a vegetable is always in demand, which means it will not be difficult to sell it. But it should be understood that creating a successful business is important to think it over and organize it correctly. First of all, it is necessary to draw up a business plan for growing a crop in order to determine the profitability of the activity, i.e. calculate costs and profits. To get the most out of your business, it's best to sell your potatoes at the retail market, but this can take a long time. Most farmers prefer to sell vegetables in bulk to enterprises or shops, although in this case the profit will be half as much.

Potato Business Plan

There are 2 ways to build a business on potatoes: equip greenhouses or grow crops openly.

To increase income, farmers often use both methods at the same time, but it should be understood that in this case they need to invest much more financial resources in organizing the business. The simplest and most common way to grow potatoes is open, and besides, it is less expensive. Already in the first season, you can not only recoup the invested money, but also get a good profit.

The business plan for growing potatoes is as follows:

• preparation of planting material;
• soil preparation;
• planting potatoes;
• crop care, which includes hilling, fertilizing, watering and killing insects;
• harvesting;
• sale of vegetables.

For those who have not previously been involved in agricultural activities, preparation of planting material will begin with its acquisition. You should buy high-yielding potato varieties for which the climatic conditions of the area where it is planned to be planted will be favorable. If the farmer has previously been engaged in the cultivation of vegetables, then he should know that for spring planting potatoes need to be selected in the fall, during the harvest. Selected tubers should be small and without any damage.

Vegetables are planted before planting, those. prepared in a special way: for about 20 days they are placed in a bright place, protected from direct sunlight, after which the potatoes are transferred for further storage in a dark room with a humidity of up to 90% and a temperature of + 1-3 ° C. Thanks to this preparation, the tubers will germinate well, and they will also gain resistance to decay.

Potato: growing process (video)

The process of growing potatoes

The planting time of the crop will depend not only on the chosen variety, but also on climatic conditions. For example, in May, residents of central Russia begin to plant potatoes, while in the south of the country it is possible to start farming as early as March. To reap a good harvest, carefully cultivate the soil.

When cultivating the land, it is loosened, cleaned of weeds and fertilized. It is recommended to use horse or cow manure as fertilizers. To speed up and facilitate the work, it is recommended to use a tractor.

When the soil is ready, you can start planting potatoes. In order for the tubers to develop well, they must have enough free space, therefore, they dig holes for them in even rows, with a distance of at least 30 cm. In addition, this arrangement is convenient for harvesting through agricultural technology.

After 2 weeks, potato bushes will need to be spudded, as well as weeds should be eliminated. Watering the culture should be no more than 3 times a week, and if the weather is wet, then you can completely refuse it. It is best to spray the crop with an insecticide solution at a time when the bushes are just beginning to bloom, as this will prevent the appearance of pests that can harm the crop.

as a rule, the culture matures for 3 months. For quick harvesting, agricultural machinery is used, which can be rented inexpensively, thereby saving the budget. The harvested crop must be prepared for sale. To make the product more attractive, it is washed and then dried thoroughly so that the tubers do not start to rot. If it was decided to sell vegetables at retail, then they can be packaged, which will slightly raise the price of the goods.

Calculation of net profit

A potato growing business can be built even if there is a small land plot, moreover, in this case, you will not have to draw up IP documents and pay taxes. With a competent approach, this type of activity will bring great financial profit, and the feedback from farmers is a confirmation of this. To calculate the net income from 0.5 hectares of land, it is also necessary to take into account the costs:

• agricultural machinery (walk-behind tractor, attachments, trailer, etc.) - 75,000 rubles;
• fertilizers and insecticides - 15,000 rubles;
• seed material, taking into account the consumption of 30 kg per 0.01 ha, and its wholesale price of 10 r. for 1 kg - 15000 rubles.

Secrets of growing potatoes (video)

In total, the total amount of expenses will be 105,000 rubles. It should be noted that much less financial investments will be required if you use your own potatoes for planting, do not purchase equipment, but rent it. As for the profit, it will depend on the amount of the crop and the cost of the product. As a rule, about 250 kg of potatoes can be harvested from 0.01 ha, and sometimes more. For greater profit, it is recommended to sell the vegetable at retail, since its price will be 25 rubles. per 1 kg, while the wholesale cost is only 10 rubles. After a simple calculation, you can find out that the net income from 0.5 hectares will be 125,000 - 312,500 rubles. As you can see, it is quite profitable to do business in growing potatoes, besides, the above calculations are just a clear example, because the amount of crop and the income itself depend on a number of factors, including: weather conditions, potato variety, quality of fertilizers and the way the goods are sold.

One of the most profitable business niches is growing and selling potatoes. Today it is difficult to imagine the diet of most Russians without this root crop, so such an agricultural crop will always be in great consumer demand. Growing potatoes is a promising and long-term activity, moreover, there are no problems with the sale of products. To successfully develop in this direction, an entrepreneur needs to competently organize his own business.

First, it is recommended to analyze the situation on the market, determine the profitability of activities, as well as calculate the amount of investments and possible income. To date, farmers cannot fully satisfy the needs of buyers, so growing potatoes for sale is very profitable. Despite the large number of manufacturers, the business is not afraid of competition and is highly profitable.

Is it profitable to grow potatoes for sale?

What is useful to know for a novice entrepreneur who decides to grow potatoes for sale? This type of activity is highly profitable, besides, today modern technologies are used that allow growing root crops in greenhouses all year round and harvesting several crops per season. The business of growing and selling potatoes has its positive and negative sides. The pluses should include:

• the possibility of growing root crops even on a small plot of land;
• fast return on investment;
• high consumer demand for potatoes, regardless of seasonality;
• the possibility of combining business with other activities;
• relative ease of care.

If a person has a garden, he can also grow potatoes and earn decent money from it. There is no tax to pay for this type of home business. Fertilizers are inexpensive, and there are many people in the countryside who want to earn money (it doesn’t hurt to hire them to weed the land and care for potatoes). The costs will be negligible.

Growing potatoes is not only able to bring profit all year round, but also saves on fertilizers, since the tops are used to form humus on the site. If you install greenhouses on the ground, you can harvest 3 crops in 1 year. Investments usually pay off after 4 months from the beginning of the first planting.

This business is not without flaws, and every entrepreneur who is interested in profitable business should know about them. First of all, there is a great dependence of the quality of the crop on weather conditions. If there is intense heat in the region, the plants need to be protected with irrigation systems. Potatoes have a lot of enemies among insects. To combat them, various chemicals are successfully used today, which allow saving the crop. Therefore, these disadvantages should be considered rather as additional precautions.

To understand how profitable it is to grow potatoes for sale yourself, let's give a simple example. Let's say a businessman rented (or owns) 30 acres of land. From every 100 sq. m, you can collect about 280 kg of potatoes, and from the entire area - 8.4 thousand kg. If you sell it in bulk at a price of 20 rubles, you can get revenue of 168 thousand rubles.

To cultivate the land, you will need to buy a walk-behind tractor (mini-tractor) with a body, as well as a hiller, a mounted plow and a device for digging up root crops. Still need to purchase fertilizer for the site. Investments for these purposes will amount to about 80 thousand rubles. The benefits of this type of activity are obvious. If you install greenhouses and grow plants all year round, profits will increase significantly.

Potato growing technology

There are many different ways to grow potatoes, allowing you to get a fairly good harvest. Let us dwell on the Dutch method, since it does not require large expenses and allows plants to develop in natural conditions (without the use of greenhouses).

A feature of this technology is the minimum mechanical processing of the land and the potato itself. The method involves the use of ground aeration, which provides effective ventilation of soil layers by mixing them with atmospheric air. To implement it, the soil is first loosened, after which the planting material is placed in the formed earthen ridges, while it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the planting rows is large enough.

Growing potatoes according to this method makes it possible to collect up to 1.8-2 kg of root crops from one bush, while the potatoes themselves can be stored for a long time under certain conditions. When selecting planting material, pay attention to the tubers: each of them should have about 5-6 eyes in order to get a good harvest.

Immediately before planting, root crops should be warmed up in spacious, bright areas. Then they are placed in the ground until sprouts form, while the material should be in a room where it is recommended to maintain 6-8 ° heat. Ready seedlings must be sent for further growth in natural conditions in well-warmed soil.

Up to 600 potato bushes are allowed to be planted on one hundred square meters of land, while it is better to arrange them in such a way as to provide good lighting. The beds are formed from north to south with an interval between rows of up to 0.75 m. As for watering potatoes, this should be done no more than 3 times over the entire period of the crop's life. The first is carried out when sprouts appear, then before flowering begins, and after it ends.

Important: to protect potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle and other pests, it is recommended to treat the tops with pesticides even before the onset of the flowering period.

Growing potatoes as a business

Consider the main stages of business development.

Land Acquisition

An important step in organizing a potato growing business is the acquisition of land. On average, one hundred square meters will have to pay 5 thousand rubles, and about 0.25-0.3 hectares will be required for planting. Thus, the minimum investment for the purchase will be 75 thousand rubles.

A person can organize a small one, in which case his income will be small, but he won’t have to spend money on buying a land plot. As for the lease of land, its cost can reach several thousand rubles per hundred square meters, so it is more expedient to invest in your own land. Before buying a plot, you should consult with a lawyer who will inform you about all the intricacies of land registration and assist in filling out the documents.

Business registration

To start entrepreneurial activity, a businessman needs to contact the Federal Tax Service at the place of residence and register a peasant farm or individual entrepreneur. Often such a business is organized simultaneously by several partners. In this case, to register an enterprise, it is worth submitting an appropriate contract indicating the contact details of each of the co-owners of the business. In addition, the contract should specify the rights and obligations of each of the partners, as well as the procedure for exiting the business of each of them. If necessary, you can find out from a specialist in the department of the Federal Tax Service how to do it right and agree on the frequency of payment.

When registering an enterprise, it is necessary to indicate OKVED codes. For growing potatoes, you can choose:

• 01.1 - "Growing annual crops";
• 01.13 - "Growing vegetables, root crops, gourds and tubers, mushrooms and truffles";
• 01.13.1 - "Growing vegetables";
• 01.13.12 - "Cultivation of protected ground vegetables".

New entrepreneurs who want to make money on growing and do not know which form of taxation is better to choose. For this type of activity, the best option would be to pay a single agricultural tax, the rate of which is only 6%.

Selection of premises

A businessman should take care of the proper storage of the crop, so you need to find the appropriate storage facilities equipped with:

• ventilation;
• lighting;
• heating system.

Storage areas must be dry, free of moisture and mold. Root crops should be dried before being placed in storage, and also sorted so that there are no rotten tubers among the crop. Illiquid potatoes can be handed over to farms specializing in other livestock, which will accept them as feed for a small price. As for the cost of renting storage facilities, it varies between 30-40 thousand rubles for 1 month.

Purchase of equipment

For the operation of a farm for growing potatoes, it is necessary to purchase the appropriate equipment. If you have to use a large amount of planting material, you should buy a potato planter. This machine allows you to perform large amounts of work in a short time and greatly simplifies the work of people.

In addition, it is desirable to acquire special harvesters for harvesting root crops. They allow you to automate harvesting, moreover, such equipment practically does not damage potato tubers. You can’t do without a potato digger on the field. Such a machine is needed for sampling root crops from the ground. You will also need a line for sorting the harvested crop on the farm, and it can also be used for onions. It allows you to easily select vegetables by size, for which the design provides for the possibility of installing gratings with the appropriate fractions.

Without fail, a small tractor will be required, with the help of which weeding work will be carried out, as well as the transportation of the crop. The minimum set of equipment for farming will be:

• tractor with trailer - 250 thousand rubles;
• automated line for sorting root crops - 200 thousand rubles;
• potato digger - 150 thousand rubles;
• harvester - 300 thousand rubles;
• potato planter - 70 thousand rubles.

Total - the cost of purchasing equipment will amount to 970 thousand rubles. Most entrepreneurs do not have the opportunity to invest such an amount of money to buy the necessary equipment for the economy. For this reason, equipment can be rented or leased before harvesting.

Purchase of planting material

Another item in the cost item will be the purchase of seed and organic fertilizers, which are necessary for the full growth of the crop. About 30 thousand rubles will have to be allocated for chemicals before sowing root crops. How to correctly calculate the number of seedlings required for sowing the land? Based on practice, about 20 kg of seed (tubers) will be required per 1 weave of land. Thus, for 0.3 ha, you need to provide 20 * 30 = 600 kg of root crops. The wholesale price for the purchase of potatoes is on average 20 rubles per 1 kg, so you will have to spend 12 thousand rubles to purchase seed. Taking into account fertilizers, the costs will cost 42 thousand rubles.

Formation of a team of workers

What kind of employees to attract to work in a potato farm? To do this, it does not hurt to invite machine operators - specialists who will service the equipment and work on the land. Also, you can not do without handymen for weeding, watering and sorting root crops.

In addition, you will need an auto mechanic who will repair the equipment. In the summer, guards should be involved to control the order on the field. An example staffing might look like this:

• handyman (2 people) - 16 thousand rubles;
• machine operator (2 people) - 24 thousand rubles;
• enterprise manager - 20 thousand rubles;
• auto mechanic - 15 thousand rubles;
• security guard (2 people) - 20 thousand rubles;
• accounting (payment for outsourcing) - 5 thousand rubles.

In total, monthly expenses for the salaries of employees will amount to 100 thousand rubles. At first, the owner of the business can keep records of the warehouse economy, which will reduce the costs of remuneration of the relevant specialist.

Business plan for growing potatoes

Before embarking on a commercial project, an entrepreneur needs to develop a detailed business plan for growing potatoes. It allows you to determine the amount of initial costs for a start, evaluate the prospects and calculate the possible profit.

In addition, the businessman must know the amount of monthly expenses that are mandatory in the course of work. Calculate the amount of investment to start the enterprise, which includes the following components:

• purchase of land - 75 thousand rubles;
• purchase of equipment - 970 thousand rubles;
• planting material and fertilizers - 42 thousand rubles;
• business registration - 15 thousand rubles;
• purchase of fuel and lubricants - 10 thousand rubles;
• warehouse rental - 30 thousand rubles.

Thus, the amount of initial investments is 1.142 million rubles. Running a root crop business involves monthly costs, which include:

• rent of premises - 30 thousand rubles;
• payment for utilities - 25 thousand rubles;
• tax deductions - 20 thousand rubles;
• staff salary - 100 thousand rubles;
• equipment depreciation - 15 thousand rubles;
• purchase of fuel and lubricants - 10 thousand rubles;
• other expenses - 10 thousand rubles.

Total - regular costs amount to 216 thousand rubles. Now let's calculate the possible profit of the enterprise. It is realistic to collect 280 kg of potatoes from one hundred square meters of land, the total yield will be 8.4 tons. Let half a ton of potatoes be unsuitable for sale. Thus, 7900 kg of root crops are obtained, which can be sold.

If you sell the harvest in bulk at a price of 20 rubles per 1 kg, the total amount of income will be 158 thousand rubles. When selling washed and dried root crops in small wholesale lots and retail, you can make a profit of about 40 rubles per 1 kg, which will bring 316 thousand rubles. The net profit from the sale of one crop will be 100 thousand rubles.

This amount can be increased many times if you organize year-round growing potatoes in greenhouses. In the future, it will not hurt to scale the business, which will lead to a significant increase in income. For example, medium-sized farms own land plots with an area of ​​2 hectares or more. This allows you to harvest more than 50 tons of crops at a time.

FAQ

Consider frequently asked questions on the topic.

What is the demand for potatoes today?

Potato is one of the most important food products, the demand for which does not depend on the season. As practice shows, the profit from the sale of root crops in winter can almost double. In addition to ordinary consumers, large quantities of potatoes are purchased by manufacturing firms. For example, potatoes are used to make starch and alcohol on an industrial scale. Recently, this product has been used for the production of chips. In addition, the main buyers of potatoes are wholesalers, large retail chains and supermarkets.

Where to look for potato marketing channels?

Entrepreneurs who want, for example, initially focus on the huge consumer demand for such a product. Potatoes do not need advertising, and they will be bought in any quantities. Consider several effective ways to sell the crop:

1. Sale on the collective farm markets. This option is able to bring good profit, however, it should be understood that it requires an investment of a large amount of time. This task should be entrusted to one of the family members or involve implementers. It is profitable to sell potatoes from mid-autumn to early May, when this product is in great demand (despite high prices).
2. Delivery of potatoes for sale. A fairly promising option, since it allows you to gain a decent amount of money. To do this, you should find several sellers who have their own outlets and offer them favorable terms of cooperation.
3. Harvest wholesale. An entrepreneur can hand over large quantities of potatoes to wholesale buyers, as well as to purveyors. They offer a low price for the goods, but if you need money for all the products at once, this is the best option. It is most often resorted to by large farms that can offer buyers large quantities of goods.
4. Direct sales of potatoes to retail chains and stores. This option is considered the most profitable. The entrepreneur can arrange the supply of potatoes to stores at an agreed price. Washed and packaged products are in great demand among buyers.

Important: if it is planned to grow potatoes in large volumes, it makes sense to find buyers for the products in advance. Wholesalers and manufacturers should agree on the terms on which they will cooperate. This will allow you to grow potatoes and not worry about finding distribution channels.

What documents need to be issued for potatoes?

According to the requirements of the TR of the Customs Union, potatoes must undergo a mandatory quality assessment. For this reason, manufacturers will have to have the appropriate documentation. You can get it from an accredited organization that provides product certification services. Such a body must have the right to assess the quality of food products, as well as issue the relevant documents, which are approved by Russian law. If it is planned to store potatoes, especially with the use of heating systems, a businessman will need to obtain permits for doing business in state supervision and a sanitary and epidemiological station.

Is it possible to build a business on the resale of potatoes?

Consider the idea of ​​​​a business selling potatoes, associated with its implementation by the type of market dealers. Its essence lies in the fact that you need to place ads in the sleeping areas of the city for the sale of products, receive orders from customers and breed goods at the specified addresses. It should be immediately noted that the minimum order must be at least 30 kg (the volume of one mesh). To start making money, you don’t need to register an enterprise at the initial stage, spend money on renting an office space or buying a vehicle.

Earnings from the sale of one grid is about 200 rubles. Renting a truck costs about 300 rubles per hour. In order to make a profit and not work at a loss, you should manage to deliver more than 3 nets of potatoes to customers during this time. The product must be purchased in advance at wholesale markets or supermarkets. To do this, it is enough to have only a few thousand rubles of starting capital. Relatively quickly, you can reach a stable income of up to 10 thousand rubles a day, which will require daily investments in the purchase of goods of about 25 thousand. Businessmen who have already built up their client base receive up to 20 calls per hour. It is easy to calculate the possible profit per day. The best option would be to deliver potatoes simultaneously to courtyards with multi-storey buildings, where this service is most popular.

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In summary, we note that the potato growing business is a very promising activity. Due to the high consumer demand, the popularity of these products will not decrease, so entrepreneurs can expand their activities and consistently earn decent money.

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