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Greenhouse business. Greenhouse business plan free download

Market prospects
Product Description
Recruitment
Financial plan
Breeding technology
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Business plan for organizing a greenhouse for growing vegetables with a total area of 2016 square meters.

How much money is needed to organize a greenhouse economy

According to preliminary calculations for the opening of a greenhouse facility with an area of 2016 sq. meters will need to invest about 14 million rubles:

Preparatory work, arrangement of the site - 700,000 rubles.
Purchase, delivery and installation of greenhouse structures - 5,000,000 rubles.
Greenhouse equipment (irrigation, heating, ventilation system, etc.) - 3,500,000 rubles.
Purchase of other equipment and inventory (packing machine, racks, buckets, boxes, etc.) - 500,000 rubles.
The cost of connecting engineering networks (gas, water, electricity) - 250,000 rubles.
Construction of an administrative building and households. block - 1,500,000 rubles.
Purchase of planting material - 400,000 rubles.
Purchase of a truck (for the sale of products) - 700,000 rubles.
Business registration, approvals and permits - 150,000 rubles.
Other expenses - 300,000 rubles.
Reserve fund - 1,000,000 rubles.

Market prospects

The greenhouse business in Russia is considered a promising area. This is especially true in areas with harsh climatic conditions, which include most regions of the Russian Federation. This industry is of great importance, as it is designed to supply the country's population with fresh vegetables and herbs, the demand for which has been steadily growing in recent years. Today, people are ready to spend more and more money on vegetables and greens than it was 15-20 years ago. The fashion for a healthy diet makes people allocate more and more funds from their budget for the purchase of products that are so important for the human body. The main problem hindering the development of the industry is high energy tariffs. Currently, the area under the film crops in Russia is no more than 2,000 hectares. For comparison, in China, the area of greenhouse farms is 1.7 million hectares. However, there is a green light in this direction. The state is increasingly paying attention to the development of the industry and is ready to help beginners and existing farmers by allocating land at preferential rates, subsidizing interest rates on loans and issuing grants for the development of greenhouses.

Product Description

Our farm will be engaged in the production of vegetable crops - cucumbers and tomatoes. According to the preliminary plan, the yield will be 90 kg/m2 (per year). Annual production volume with an area of 2016 sq. meters will thus be 181,440 kilograms of fresh vegetables. The average annual wholesale price per kilogram of products will be 65 rubles. The main clients of the farm are wholesale dealers, processing plants and retail chains. The planned annual turnover of the enterprise, after the sale of all manufactured products, will be about 11,500,000 rubles.

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Renting a land plot for greenhouse farming

To accommodate a small greenhouse farm, a land plot of 4,500 square meters will be leased from the municipality. The lease agreement will be concluded for 49 years with a preemptive right to purchase. Lease payments will amount to 25 thousand rubles per month. The site will be located in close proximity to the settlement, which will connect all the necessary communications, including electricity, gas and water.

What equipment to choose for greenhouse farming

As equipment, it is planned to purchase industrial polycarbonate greenhouses for growing crops "Farmer". The design of this greenhouse is designed in accordance with SNiP 2.10.04-85. During the construction of the Farmer greenhouse, modern heat-insulating materials are used that reduce heating costs, so that it can be operated all year round.

The frame of the greenhouse is made of a powerful galvanized profile and consists of arched trusses connected by girders. The width of the greenhouse will be 7.5 m, height 3 m, length 67.2 m. The area of the greenhouse will be 504 square meters. m. The greenhouse will be installed on the ground with the instillation of foundation pillars. In total, it is planned to purchase four such greenhouses. Thus, the total area of the farm will be 2016 square meters. In addition to the design of the greenhouse, it is planned to purchase and install gas boilers (for heating), households. block, packaging plant, administration building for staff accommodation and shower room. As for the greenhouse equipment itself, the following components will be purchased: an installation for drip irrigation of plants, a feeding system, a ventilation system, as well as additional equipment and inventory (racks, buckets, boxes, etc.).

Recruitment

It is planned to hire an engineer, handymen (6 people), packers (4 people), sales managers (2 people), a driver, an accountant and security guards (3 people) as the staff of the farm. The total staff of employees will be 18 people, with a monthly payroll of 288,000 rubles.

What taxation system to choose for greenhouse farming

The organizational form of the greenhouse economy will be a limited liability company, consisting of two founders. As a taxation system, it is planned to use the ESHN - a single agricultural tax. Tax payments will amount to 6% of the farm's profit.

A step-by-step plan for opening a greenhouse

The list of works on the organization of the enterprise is as follows:

Business registration, approvals and preparation of documents
Conclusion of a land lease agreement
Land preparation
Summing up communications
Purchase of a greenhouse, delivery, installation of the structure
Roofing
Finishing work
Electric installation work
Installation of ventilation systems, irrigation, plumbing work
Installation of equipment, racks
Landscaping
Host installation. block, domestic facilities
Hiring workers
Conclusion of contracts (MSW removal, disinfection, etc.)
Purchase of planting material
Enterprise launch

Financial plan

Fixed monthly expenses (average from September to May)

Rent - 25,000 rubles.
Salary + insurance deductions - 370,000 rubles.
Fertilizers, protective equipment - 20,000 rubles.
Heating - 66,000 rubles. (33 rubles/sq.m.)
Electricity - 20,000 rubles. (10 rubles/sq.m.)
Water supply - 4,000 rubles. (2 rubles/sq.m.)
Packaging — 25,000 rubles.
Depreciation of equipment - 10,000 rubles.
Seeds - 7,000 rubles.
Fuel and lubricants - 40,000 rubles.
Other expenses - 20,000 rubles.

Total - 607,000 rubles. The annual expenses of the economy will amount to 7,284,000 rubles.

How much can you earn in greenhouse farming

Net profit following the results of the year of operation of the farm will amount to 3,963,040 rubles (330,253 rubles per month). It should be noted that such results can only be achieved if 100% sales of all manufactured products. The profitability of the organization according to the calculations of the business plan will be 54%. With such indicators, the return on investment in the business will come in 42 months or 3.5 years.

Recommended download greenhouse business plan, from our partners, with a guarantee of quality. This is a complete, ready-made project that you will not find in the public domain. The content of the business plan: 1. Confidentiality 2. Summary 3. Stages of project implementation 4. Characteristics of the object 5. Marketing plan 6. Technical and economic data of the equipment 7. Financial plan 8. Risk assessment 9. Financial and economic justification of investments 10. Conclusions

Which OKVED to indicate when registering a business

To register a business, you will need to indicate the necessary codes from OKVED-2, Section A: Agriculture, forestry, fishing and fish farming:

01 Crop and animal husbandry, hunting and provision of related services in these areas.
01.1 Cultivation of annual crops.
01.13 Growing vegetables, gourds, root and tuber crops, mushrooms and truffles.
01.13.1 Growing vegetables.
01.13.12 Cultivation of greenhouse vegetables.

What documents are needed to open

Registration of a business of peasant farms (KFH) will require the same documents from the entrepreneur as for registration of IP:

A notarized application for registration on behalf of the greenhouse owner.
Copy of passport and IND code.
Receipt of payment of state duty.

It should be noted that in the case of opening a business not by one, but by several entrepreneurs, a contract is drawn up between them.

Do I need permission to open

If you do not plan to sell your crops in stores and hire staff to care for them, then no permits will be required. In the case of the sale of products to legal entities, it is necessary to register an individual entrepreneur or a peasant farm. The quality of growing conditions and goods for sale will be controlled by the relevant sanitary and epidemiological authorities. When installing heating equipment, you will need permission from the fire safety inspectorate. A businessman may need contracts for fertilizing the land, treating pests, dry cleaning clothes, etc.

Breeding technology

The modern greenhouse business uses three structures for growing:

Glazed.
Polycarbonate.
Polyethylene.

Novice businessmen can try the polyethylene construction, as it is simpler and cheaper than the others. But if your crops require more light, then a glass-enclosed greenhouse is the way to go. Also, do not limit yourself to the cultivation of one crop, the use of a larger range of products will increase the profit received in the market. In addition to vegetables, flowers can also be grown in greenhouses. Flower greenhouses are considered the most profitable direction.

Creating a stable income-generating business is the dream of every independent person who cares about his future and does not want to work under someone else's leadership all his life. Among the good ideas for starting a business is the production of exclusive souvenirs or development. The first is more suitable for a creative person who is accustomed to urban living conditions; the second is for people who are willing and able to work with their hands, outdoors or indoors.

Unfortunately, farming, including the cultivation of agricultural products in greenhouses, cannot be attributed to. In addition, the dependence of the individual entrepreneur on the location of the greenhouse and the surrounding conditions, including temperature changes and insect infestation, is too great. Still worth a try; where to start, which target crops to choose and how to properly equip a greenhouse - see below.

Greenhouse as a business - profitability

In any case, from development to growing roses or strawberries in a greenhouse, profitability, or, to put it simply, the profitability of the enterprise, is most important. No one will work to their own detriment, and the creation of a high-quality greenhouse requires serious financial investments; therefore, a farmer who is thinking about creating his own greenhouse business needs to reasonably assess the likelihood of earning income before going to the bank or looking for investors.

Advice: today, in the conditions of a permanently deteriorating domestic economy, even the most experienced economist or businessman will not be able to do this with a 100% guarantee. The opportunity not only to burn out, but also to remain in the red is incredibly great, which means that you should not only assess your chances as modestly as possible, but also leave a “safety cushion” - an emergency reserve that will help you not to die of hunger, and ideally - and pay off principal debts in case of project failure.

Unlike more risky and labor-intensive ideas like, the profitability of greenhouse farming, with the right approach to business, can exceed 50% - an excellent indicator not only for agriculture, but also for other real sectors of the economy. As live examples of business farmers testify, the creation of a semi-industrial greenhouse worth 1.5 million rubles pays off in less than two years; The owner begins to receive the first profit with the first harvest.

Important: in some cases, the profitability of greenhouse farming, as well as, can be 70–80%. To achieve such an indicator, the business owner will have to not only work with a vengeance, but also attract large investments per square meter of the greenhouse.

Advantages of arranging a greenhouse economy:

It is possible to develop a greenhouse with minimal investment. As just mentioned, with this approach, one cannot count on an instant and impressive result, but there will be a start-up income - and then a novice businessman will be able to decide whether to develop in this direction or look for other sources of income.
Available . To get support, you need to try, but the amount transferred to the farmer's account will allow him to cover part of his debt obligations or purchase new, better and more economical equipment for the greenhouse - and sometimes rare crops for cultivation.
Fast payback. The business owner receives income with each new harvest, and the better he sets up the process, the more money he will end up with in his account - therefore, the faster the farmer will be able to repay loans and pay off investors.
Guaranteed demand. People always need vegetables, herbs and flowers, so the owner of the greenhouse, unlike the entrepreneur who decides to take on more risky projects like, will always have the opportunity to make money. Agricultural products can be sold not only to ordinary buyers, but also to local retail outlets, or even arrange supplies for the largest retail chains: it all depends on the will and imagination of the entrepreneur.

Disadvantages of greenhouse farming as a business:

Profitability strongly depends on the region where the greenhouse is located, the weather and many random, unpredictable and uncontrollable factors - the farmer cannot fight them, and he will only have to wait out them. As you might guess, greenhouses equipped in the southern regions of the country with their mild climate and the predominance of positive temperatures throughout the year will give the greatest profit. But it is not advisable to arrange a greenhouse economy in the northern regions, unless we are talking about industrial scale: the entrepreneur will either not be able to earn income at all, or it will become cyclical - in late autumn, winter and spring, the purchased equipment will simply stand idle.
To choose a location, materials and equipment, you must have sufficient competence - otherwise the money invested in a seemingly profitable enterprise will be wasted.
It is imperative to first think over the scheme for collecting, storing and selling agricultural products, otherwise the perishable crop will be lost without bringing any income to the owner and forcing him to spend money on waste disposal.
A large amount of electrical energy is spent on the functioning of even a medium-sized greenhouse. Most likely, the entrepreneur will not be able to develop it on his own, which means that he will have to regularly pay impressive bills - however, with the right business, the income from the sale of the crop will significantly exceed current expenses.

Advice: in order not to make a mistake in the process of developing a greenhouse business and not to burn out at the very beginning, a novice farmer who does not have sufficient knowledge should better turn to a professional economist or marketer for a business plan. Their services, of course, are not cheap, but using them is guaranteed to pay off, and the entrepreneur himself will be spared the constant fear of ruin.

What can be grown in a greenhouse?

Theoretically, a greenhouse as a constantly heated type of greenhouse with an autonomous water supply system is suitable for growing any kind of crops - from traditional cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes to bananas and pineapples.

In practice, in accordance with domestic climatic conditions and consumer preferences, most greenhouse farms specialize in the production of:

vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, radishes, turnips, potatoes and others; the first place in demand in this segment is occupied by tomatoes and cucumbers;
all kinds of herbs and spices: dill, green onion, parsley, celery, basil, rosemary, mint, sage, lettuce, lettuce, garlic, spinach, arugula, sorrel and others; the most popular among Russian buyers are dill, parsley and onion shoots;
colors: roses, tulips, orchids, lilies, carnations, asters and so on; demand for most of them arises periodically, with the exception of the most popular - roses and orchids;
mushrooms: oyster mushrooms, less often - champignons and more whimsical varieties; there is a demand for them at any time of the year;
berries: most often it is strawberries and strawberries; in addition, the technologies for breeding berries "in captivity" are best honed on them.

Advice: in order to avoid mistakes and not burn out at the very beginning of the development of a greenhouse economy, a farmer is recommended to combine several types of cultivated crops. For example, instead of focusing exclusively on vegetables or herbs, he can set aside one quarter of the greenhouse for cucumbers and tomatoes, another for roses, a third for green onions and dill, and a fourth for mushrooms.

Flowers

The profitability of growing flowers in a greenhouse can reach a record 200-300% if the business owner provides a sufficient flow of investment and makes efforts to further develop the project. Do not get carried away and breed all available plant species at once; it is better to concentrate on three or four options, because otherwise the owner will either have to provide for each species its own breeding conditions, which will incredibly complicate the technological component, or put up with constant losses, which is extremely sad due to the high cost of the source material.

The easiest way to grow in greenhouse conditions:

chrysanthemums. These are heat-loving plants, subject to the proper temperature conditions, profitable all year round. The basis for cultivation is a mixture of sand and humus. The buds ripen for about four months; the recommended temperature for the whole year is approximately + 18 ° С; at the time of blooming, it is recommended to reduce it to + 10 ° С. In addition, in winter, flowers need additional lighting.
Roses. The most demanded flowers in domestic conditions, the demand for which remains throughout the year, and periodically, a few days before and after significant holidays, increases several times. Roses are mostly unpretentious, can grow in winter without specially equipped lighting and, which is especially pleasant for a business owner, do not need annual soil renewal. The only difficulty is the need to organize the reproduction of flowers through grafting and layering - laborious and time-consuming operations.
tulips. The soil preferred by plants is ordinary soil, into which ash and mineral fertilizers are applied. The first buds ripen approximately three months after planting the bulbs. During the ripening period, the temperature in the greenhouse (or in its sector reserved for tulips) should be increased from +2°C to +21°C. In addition, growing shoots need bright artificial lighting.

Greenery

The most logical thing for the owner of a greenhouse farm is to grow the most popular and at the same time unpretentious types of greens and herbs - dill and green onions:

Dill. The most versatile variety of greens, in constant demand throughout the year. There is a slight seasonality, but the owner of the greenhouse does not need to be afraid of ruin - it is almost impossible not to be able to sell fresh and well-grown dill. In order to reduce the stretching of the stem, leading to a decrease in taste, it is necessary to maintain a constant humidity of the soil used for cultivation; The easiest way to achieve this is regular manual watering. The best temperature for growing greens is about + 15 ° C; in one summer, you can get up to 3-4 crops of dill, which allows you to cover the need of buyers for it throughout the year.
green onion. When growing, it is necessary to take care not only of the timely moistening of the soil and the illumination of the shoots, but also of the organization of the packaging process: the more carefully the feather is collected, the longer it will be able to maintain its presentation and, therefore, the less losses the entrepreneur will have to endure. With the correct organization of the process from 10 square meters of the greenhouse, you can get up to 60 kg of products per month.

Vegetables

Vegetables are the most unpretentious crops: they can grow on almost any soil without fertilizers and even in the absence of normal lighting. True, we should not forget that the improvement of conditions leads to an increase in productivity - the more the entrepreneur invests in the greenhouse industry, the sooner the investment will pay off.

Most often, cucumbers and tomatoes are grown in domestic greenhouses - all varieties, sizes and ripening dates. For the full growth of rocks, it is necessary to ensure normal moisture and looseness of the soil, in the autumn-winter period - high-quality daylight and an acceptable temperature of about + 20 ° С. Even the most inexperienced businessman does not have any difficulties with the cultivation of tomatoes and cucumbers, and you can sell products both directly to people and to the nearest stores or retail chains.

Advice: the owner of the business can, using additional funds, organize the conservation of vegetables and sell the finished product in banks.

Berries

Most often, strawberries are cultivated in greenhouses - due to their unpretentiousness, attractive taste and traditionally high demand among the population. For its cultivation, it is necessary to ensure normal soil moisture, the presence of all the necessary trace elements in it and the natural alternation of light and shade - then the crop can be harvested all year round, not limited to one season. It is possible to grow raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries and other berries in greenhouses, but they, while remaining semi-wild plants, are much more demanding on cultivation conditions, and it will be extremely difficult for a novice businessman to immediately provide everything necessary for good growth and rapid ripening of berries.

Mushrooms

Growing mushrooms is a difficult business, not recommended for a novice entrepreneur. Moreover, for the normal growth of mushrooms, artificial “twilight” and high humidity should be provided in the cultivation zone, which makes it difficult to combine with other crops. The substrate must be constantly sprayed with water, and to automate the process, put sprayers or humidifiers.

Oyster mushrooms can be grown both on stumps and in hanging bags. In the first case, the fertilizer is placed on top of the mycelium and the film covering it; in the second - directly into the container. Mushrooms are usually grown in tubs, optimally - in semi-basement or basement conditions. Otherwise, these mushrooms are unpretentious, easily tolerate a temporary decrease in humidity and even an insufficiently balanced composition of the soil.

How to choose a place for greenhouses?

If for development it is necessary first of all to determine the target audience, then for the creation of a greenhouse economy, the most important thing is to organize a place for a room. There is no need to talk about choice in this case: few of the start-up entrepreneurs are so lucky that they can, without prejudice to themselves, prefer one land plot to another.

It is easy to equip the area under the greenhouse, observing the basic requirements:

The place after processing should be completely flat, without mounds and depressions. An exception can be made if it is planned to allocate the entire room for growing mushrooms: the creation of natural shading and corners of high humidity will only benefit the entrepreneur.
The greenhouse must be protected from strong gusts of wind by installing special fences, shields and other protective elements. In addition, in the cold season, they will prevent the formation of snow drifts, which will give the owner of the greenhouse the opportunity to get into it without undue effort.
Even if high humidity in the greenhouse is technologically necessary, it is necessary to provide for a ventilation and drainage system during its arrangement: otherwise the building itself will collapse quite soon from constant decay, corrosion and reproduction of fungus and bacteria. If the place allotted for the greenhouse itself is characterized by high humidity, it should be at least slightly dried before the construction of the structure.
To the site on which it is planned to install the greenhouse, it is necessary to provide power supply lines, water supply and drainage, and also, if conditions permit, heat supply.
If an entrepreneur plans to grow crops on the existing soil, it is necessary, with the help of a professional, to check for fertility. And if the indicators are unsatisfactory, it is worthwhile to carry out work to eliminate the problem in advance - or think about bringing new soil and fertilizers into place.

Features of greenhouse equipment

A professional or semi-professional greenhouse should be equipped with the following elements that make life easier for the farmer:

ventilation system. For the normal growth of most crops, it is necessary to ensure the circulation of air indoors. Since it is impractical to ventilate the greenhouse, and in winter it is impossible, the owner should install at least the simplest air conditioner, or better, professional equipment that allows you to achieve a good result already at the first harvest.
lighting equipment. Greenhouse plants lack sunlight, and in order to avoid painful stretching of the stems and a decrease in fruiting rates, it is necessary to provide them with artificial light that is as close to natural as possible. For this purpose, you can use simple incandescent lamps, plasma or halogen lamps - the latter, however, will have to be selected according to the spectrum for each stage of plant growth.
heating appliances. No matter how cold-resistant a plant is, it needs warmth. In summer, this need is satisfied naturally, and in winter, in order to avoid the death of sprouts or rhizomes or to achieve permanent fruiting, artificial heating should be used - from standard heating devices to special industrial complexes.
Microclimate support system, including irrigation equipment. It would be better if such a system allows you to simultaneously create different conditions for different parts of the greenhouse; otherwise, the entrepreneur will have to install several complexes, which will lead to an undesirable complication of the greenhouse structure.

How to register a greenhouse business?

It is easiest for the owner of a greenhouse to register as an individual entrepreneur; for this you should:

Submit the following documents to the Department of the Federal Tax Service:
- application in a unified form P21001;
- passport of a citizen of Russia (plus a photocopy);
- taxpayer identification number (plus a copy);
- other papers at the request of the inspector.
Immediately after registration, open a current account in any bank registered in the country.
Get registered with the Social Insurance Fund and the Pension Fund of Russia.
If you plan to trade at retail, get a cash register.

Another option is the organization of a peasant farm. In this case, the owner of the greenhouse is not registered as an individual entrepreneur, but he can conduct business within the framework established by the legislator.

How many staff will need to attract?

For the operation of a small (up to 100 square meters) greenhouse, the owner will need to attract a maximum of one or two assistants who will monitor the growth of crops in shifts, remove dead leaves, prevent pests and control the operation of all systems. The larger the area and the more complex the layout of the greenhouse, the more people will be needed to ensure its smooth operation; as the business grows, the entrepreneur will need to attract more and more employees, the number of which in other cases can reach up to 20-30 people.

How to organize an advertising campaign for a project?

place advertisements in paper and electronic media, including television and radio broadcasting;
order the installation of billboards and banners in their native village and surrounding areas;
advertise natural food from the greenhouse in social networks;
organize the distribution of handouts: leaflets, business cards and discount offers.

Activities are best done simultaneously, modifying and repeating them from time to time; this will ensure a constant influx of customers and, as a result, an increase in the income of the entrepreneur.

Summing up

Greenhouse farming is a profitable business; its minimum profitability is 50%. Advantages of the project - quick payback and the possibility of obtaining subsidies from the state; disadvantages - a strong dependence on the geography of location, weather conditions and random attendant factors. It is best for the greenhouse owner to register as an individual entrepreneur; another option is the creation of a peasant farm.

In greenhouses, you can grow not only vegetables, herbs and flowers, but also berries, as well as mushrooms. For each cultivated breed, it is necessary to choose the optimal conditions, giving it its own corner. The greenhouse should be equipped with lighting, ventilation, microclimate maintenance, water supply and sanitation systems; the better the purchased equipment, the sooner the business owner will receive the first decent income.

The share of imported greenhouse vegetables in Russia is about 70% of sales. Its quality leaves much to be desired; Russian cucumbers and tomatoes are much tastier, cause less concern, and are in great demand among buyers. Sanctions and rising import prices forced retailers to turn to domestic producers. The absence of large greenhouse complexes gives a chance for the development of small businesses.

The consumption of greenhouse vegetables per inhabitant of Russia is approximately 11 kg per year. Of these, 4 kg are domestic products, and 7 kg are imported from abroad. In the last 10 - 15 years, they began to buy more, which is facilitated by the fashion for "healthy eating", approaching Western living standards. Therefore, the Russian greenhouse business is experiencing a rebirth.

In 2012, the State Program for the Development of Crop Production for 2013-2020 was adopted. It included the allocation of large-scale subsidies for greenhouses: up to 50% for equipment, and up to 30% compensation for electricity costs during the operation period until 2020. At the beginning of its introduction in Russia there were only about 2,000 hectares of greenhouses, most of which required reconstruction (for comparison: in Holland - 10,000 hectares).

This caused a boom in interest among large agricultural holdings, retailers, and investors. Sberbank, Gazprombank, Vladimir Potanin, the younger Abramovich, Mikhail Fridman and many others invested. Over the past two years, the construction of greenhouse complexes with an area of about 600 hectares and several large distribution centers has begun. However, public money is received irregularly, and the costs at the initial stage are very high. The payback period of projects is 7 - 10 years.

While the giants of business are “swinging” and dividing state money, small and medium-sized producers are slowly occupying a niche that is freed from imports. Let us consider in more detail the components of successful indoor vegetable production. A greenhouse as a business is profitable if the entrepreneur:

well studied local demand and found a permanent distribution channel;
uses modern designs and agricultural practices;
solved the problem of energy intensity, which makes the business profitable.

Demand for vegetables and consumer preferences

Due to the harsh Russian climate, even residents of the southern regions receive vegetables "from the garden" for a maximum of 5 months, while for the rest they are available 2-3 months a year. A survey of buyers by the FDFgroup company, conducted in the summer of 2015 in Moscow, showed that residents of the capital buy fresh vegetables:

at least once a month - about 90%;
more than once a week - about 60%;
buy occasionally - only 8% of respondents.

At the same time, cucumbers and onions are regularly purchased by about 60%, tomatoes - by about 56%, cabbage and greens - by 50% of buyers. And in winter, it is, of course, only vegetables grown indoors. According to the study, last year they were bought less than in 2014, which is certainly due to higher prices. The predominant places of purchase are shown in Figure 1.

It is interesting that the quality of the goods is assessed differently: 94% of satisfied customers in the market, in supermarkets - 81%, and in regular stores - 77%. At the same time, the lowest quality and assortment indicators are in the large chain stores Magnit and Pyaterochka. Reason: imported goods - tasteless hard vegetables and fruits pumped up with special solutions, mostly from Turkey. But now they are under sanctions. By the way, both named retailers started building their own greenhouses.

Cucumbers and greens are in constant demand, and these are the easiest crops to produce, including by small businesses. The situation is more complicated with tomatoes. However, the demand for them is growing, and the lion's share of them was imported from abroad (Fig. 2). Therefore, the transition to the cultivation of tomatoes has good prospects.

How modern greenhouse production works

The main task of the greenhouse is to create an artificial microclimate for growing vegetables all year round. This is much more expensive than open field production. Bulky metal structures covered with glass, with obsolete traditional heating systems, are no longer competitive. Modern greenhouse construction is determined by the following parameters.

Frame construction

Most greenhouses are a standard width gallery that can usually be extended in length. Roofs are gable, single-pitched or cylindrical. The frames are mounted from wooden arched structures impregnated with an antiseptic, with a nail press; from a metal pipe, galvanized steel profile. Their service life is up to 25 years. They are installed on the foundation, piles, and sometimes just on the surface. Doors, transoms, vents, racks, less often partitions are provided.

Cover material quality

Glass has been replaced by film coatings and polycarbonate. Polyethylene film is an affordable material, but its service life is up to 3 years. It perfectly transmits sunlight, thanks to which the greenhouse warms up well on sunny days. But a nighttime drop in temperature causes condensation of moisture, which increases humidity and contributes to plant disease. These shortcomings are devoid of multilayer pimply-air films of a new generation. Cellular polycarbonate is a lightweight, durable, plastic material that can withstand up to 100 kg/m2, resistant to wind and hail. The cost is significantly higher than that of the film. It withstands winter temperatures down to minus 50°C and has good thermal insulation properties. Today it is the leader among hothouse coverings.

Heating System Efficiency

This is the most costly part of the process. The share of expenses for heating air, soil, water is over 40% in the cost of production. And the total energy consumption, taking into account additional lighting in the winter, ventilation in the summer, reaches 60%. This is the main reason hindering the development of greenhouse production. The annual growth in prices for gas and electricity is approaching 15%, and in just the last ten years, energy prices have more than doubled. For example, when growing the most profitable crop: cucumber, the cost of electricity when using conventional fluorescent tubes for winter lighting exceeds the cost of the lamps themselves by 2 times, and is comparable to a major overhaul (replacement) of the entire lighting system.

Reduce energy consumption by all available means, using energy-saving technologies; double wall covering, combination of materials, heat shields, active soil substrates that release heat during decomposition (linen fire). Many entrepreneurs build their own boiler houses with tanks, buy autonomous thermal power plants.

This is where small businesses win over large greenhouse farms. It is one thing to heat 5-10 greenhouses on 20 acres, and the scale of energy consumption on areas of 2 hectares and more is completely different. So, Russian craftsmen, in order to preserve heat, bury structures in the ground, sometimes to a meter depth; reducing the height, reducing the cost of covering the walls, heating, they use simple potbelly stoves, heating them with available local raw materials. To this we must add a variety of "know-how" in terms of creating heating systems of our own design and ways to connect to domestic energy networks (especially in household plots).

Entrepreneurs Viktor and Valentina Stolyarov from the village of Krasnoye, Tver Region, first grew seedlings of vegetables in greenhouses, and now they grow roses. The flower business turned out to be more profitable. Despite the fact that a gas pipeline is connected to the site, the greenhouse is heated with firewood. This is more economical, although more labor intensive.

Climate control automation

Guaranteed yield depends on compliance with temperature and humidity. This is provided by irrigation systems, humidification, evaporative cooling, curtain screens. In addition, the drainage system of internal drains, the supply of solutions of fertilizers and pesticides, is being equipped. Ventilation is often natural, through a system of vents. All this is monitored by a system of automatic control sensors. Let us give an example of an average set of equipment for one greenhouse (Table 1).

Modern agricultural technology

First of all, it includes the selection of crops, high-quality seeds, modern soil substrates. Using the seedling method speeds up the process by 2-3 weeks, facilitates care, and increases efficiency. On one square meter of the greenhouse, 3-4 different vegetable crops can be grown during the year, depending on the season and demand. This requires constant fertilization and control over the composition of the soil, knowledge of agricultural technology, at the same time, allowing you to use the area to the maximum.

The most common crop: cucumbers. Their average yield is 22-35 kg/m2. They are followed by greens: onion, dill, parsley, lettuce and radish. But tomatoes are grown much less often. Despite the fact that their prices are high and the yield is good, they are more capricious and take longer to grow. Peppers, eggplants are practically not grown in small farms. It is believed that they are profitable only in industrial plants (from 20 hectares). However, below is an example that suggests otherwise.

Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Territory. Farmer Nikolai Kutukov organized a profitable greenhouse business, starting from scratch in 2010, building the first greenhouse on his own. At first he grew only green onions, gradually switched to other crops. Now he has five greenhouses, grows cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplants. Sells products through local shops and market. The area is remote, there are no major competitors nearby, so the entrepreneur plans to expand the farm.

The most painful issue for small businesses: find a distribution channel. It all depends on local conditions. In the center and south of Russia, many small producers prefer to sell their crops to wholesalers. The latter process and pack it in their own distribution centers and resell it to retailers. Sometimes it is more profitable to open your own store (pavilion) if there is a demand and a target audience.

Profitability of greenhouse production

According to Aslan Devdariani, who has been developing the greenhouse business for more than 10 years, a greenhouse should give a profitability of at least 20% in order for production to break even. He grows only cucumbers, supplying them to the nearby city of Orsk, the area of greenhouses is 2 hectares. It is unprofitable to carry further. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the company "Agroinvestproekt" average operating profitability of industrial greenhouse complexes in central Russia is 30 - 40%.

However, let's give an example of production on a personal plot in a small industrial city. Ilya Odintsov grows all the same cucumbers. With an average yield of 10 - 15 kg per 1 sq.m. (and it can be brought up to 25 kg), he receives about 1,000 rubles in two months, selling them to wholesalers at a price of 80 rubles per 1 kg. He has 10 greenhouses with an area of 40 sq.m. each. In total, in a good season, revenue reaches 400 thousand, net income - 200 thousand rubles. By the way, in February-March, cucumbers are sold in stores for 180 - 200 rubles.

conclusions

There are more chances for the success of the greenhouse business in those areas where there are no industrial complexes, and the lack of vegetables is compensated by import supplies.
It is more profitable to manufacture near an urban settlement, especially an industrial one, where the subsidiary, dacha economy proper is underdeveloped.
The main task is to minimize energy costs; agronomic knowledge and special skills are required.
The longer the period of use of the greenhouse, the more profitable it is. For example, growing cucumbers, greens in February - March; radishes, seedlings - in May; then - early tomatoes.

The greenhouse business is available to anyone with the appropriate skills and desire. The owner of his own personal plot has special advantages. Before taking action, you need to understand the following nuances:

what kind of crop is profitable to grow,
choose a place for the location of greenhouses,
determine materials for construction,
decide in what soil and under what conditions the planting will be carried out,
define the market
choose the legal form for registration,
create a business plan.

So, let's go over the main points in details.

Growing greens in a greenhouse

What will you have to spend on?

Financial investment is what starts a greenhouse business. Even if you have your own area for growing, you will have to buy all the necessary materials for the farm. Usually you have to invest in:

purchase or lease of land,
purchase of materials for the construction of a greenhouse, inventory and culture,
business registration.

What to grow?

In a temperate and southern climate, it is beneficial to grow the following types of plants:

berries,
greenery,
vegetables,
flowers.

You can choose a specific culture based on the following factors:

Climate. In colder regions, a lot of money is spent on heating. In this case, it is recommended to choose less heat-loving crops.
Competition. The success of sales will be influenced by the availability of the same product from entrepreneurs in the neighborhood. It is necessary to analyze the situation and stop at the culture with the smallest proposals.
Demand. There must be a high demand for the selected products. It should be borne in mind that in summer and early autumn the profitability of greenhouses decreases due to the abundance of ground plants.
Capital. To start a business without initial investment, it is better to give preference to growing greens. After the accumulation of funds, you can switch to other crops. The highest profitability is the cultivation of flowers.

You can select several crops at once to avoid a period of idle soil. But for this it is necessary to carefully study the permissible predecessors and take into account the neighborhood to increase productivity.

Where to place greenhouses?

Greenhouse farming as a business begins with finding a place for a greenhouse. It must be located near settlements. Otherwise, fuel costs will increase the cost of the crop. The site should have good access at any time of the year.

Growing plants in a greenhouse is impossible without electricity and running water, so the chosen place must be connected to communications. The use of tap water is allowed, but the cultivation of any crops requires frequent and plentiful watering. Therefore, to reduce costs, it is better to use liquid from an open reservoir. It must be periodically taken to the laboratory for analysis in order to control the chemical composition.

Areas with a significant slope or subject to flooding are excluded. There should not be large trees and buildings near the greenhouses, as they will shade it. But being at a short distance on the north side of the forest belt or solid fences will protect from the wind, which will significantly save electricity.

The soil on the site must be fertile, since planting plants in bad soil does not make sense. The purchase of soil separately requires certain costs, which reduces the profitability of the greenhouse business.

What material to choose for the greenhouse?

The choice of material for the manufacture of a greenhouse is an important point, since the size of the crop depends on it. The following characteristics are taken into account here:

light transmission,
life time,
ease of operation.

Today, the following covering materials are used in the construction of greenhouse structures:

Polyethylene film. It is more profitable to start a greenhouse business at home with it, as it has a low cost. Polyethylene film can last for several seasons, but then the coating must be re-coated. If installed incorrectly, it can be torn by wind, and constant condensation requires proper ventilation. In addition to the standard polyethylene film, reinforced, pimply, PVC and other varieties are now offered. Each of them is superior to the usual version in terms of performance and cost.
Glass. This material, before the advent of competitors, was very popular due to its durability and transparency. Due to the high price, installation complexity and fragility, other materials are now more often chosen.
Cellular polycarbonate. It has all the properties of an ideal covering material. The only negative is the cost, which makes it inaccessible to a novice businessman.

How to create optimal growing conditions?

All conditions for year-round cultivation of crops should be created in greenhouses. For a high yield, each parameter must be properly organized.

Ventilation. In small greenhouses, a door and a window on the opposite wall can cope with this task. In buildings of medium and large size, hatches are used. The mechanism for opening the ventilation holes can be either manual or automatic. In greenhouses with a large area, the operation of fans is allowed.
Shading. In the southern regions, greenhouse farming as a business requires the creation of conditions to eliminate overheating. They are achieved by closing the greenhouse inside or outside, as well as coating the covering material with an opaque composition.
Heating. To heat winter greenhouses, it is necessary to think over the heating system. Gas is convenient and effective for this purpose, but it costs a lot of money and dries out the air. Stove heating does not require communications, but it heats the room unevenly. During its use, care must be taken that carbon monoxide does not leak into the greenhouse. Electrical appliances are characterized by low fire safety. A thermal cable is more preferable, as it evenly warms the soil. This favorably affects the growth rate of plants and the size of the yield. Infrared ceiling heaters emit energy similar to that of sunlight. All cultures tolerate their effects well.
Lighting. Winter greenhouses for business should be provided with additional lighting. In the cold season, plants need only a few hours a day. The most energy-saving options are fluorescent, LED and phyto lamps. All of them have a good effect on crops, but only white luminescent products have a relatively low cost.
Watering. In small greenhouses, watering is carried out manually using a bucket or watering can. Watering plants on your own in larger buildings is inconvenient. Drip irrigation is the most common. It can be adapted to any source of moisture.
Tools. To care for crops, you need to purchase equipment (shovels, wheelbarrows, buckets, boxes, etc.). Many devices are required for seedlings. It is more economical to use improvised materials, such as plastic bottles or milk bags. For tall plants, it is necessary to consider support tools and garter materials.

How to prepare the soil?

After the completion of construction work and the installation of all equipment, the greenhouse business requires soil preparation. Plants can be grown in the following ways:

on standard ridges,
on the raised ridges,
in hanging pots.

It is more convenient to use ridges raised by 50-70 cm. The interlayer can be pipes with heat carriers, biological fuel or electric cables.
Soil preparation must be carried out in accordance with the agricultural technology of the selected crop. It is impossible to act at random, therefore, the technology of growing a plant must be thoroughly studied. Otherwise, all the work will be in vain.

How to register a business?

At first, it is not necessary to register a greenhouse business from scratch on your site. To own a personal subsidiary farm, it is enough to take a certificate from the local administration stating that the property has a plot and crops are grown on it. When the business starts to develop, you will have to deal with the design. Consumers like to cooperate within the law, in order to get around competitors, they will have to follow the rules. There are two forms of registration of a greenhouse business, depending on its size:

Medium greenhouse is the presence of a large number of greenhouses that are served by one family. It is registered with the territorial tax service as a peasant farm. All family members will have ownership rights. You do not have to register an individual entrepreneur, but the presence of PSRN and TIN is mandatory. To obtain a KFH certificate, it is necessary to collect a number of documents. When this issue is settled, registration with other regulatory authorities takes place. Then a current account is opened and, if necessary, a seal is made.
Large greenhouse farm- the main difference from the average is that it contains hired workers. Such a business can be registered in the form of LLC or IP. The first option is more expensive and has uncomfortable conditions. Registration of IP occurs in a standard way by collecting the necessary papers.

We draw up a business plan for a greenhouse

When writing a business plan, you need to take into account all aspects. The resulting document should include the following sections:

review,
company information,
service description,
market analysis,
production plan,
implementation plan,
calculation of costs and revenues.

As a rule, the profitability of a greenhouse as a business is 15-40%. The final figure depends on competition and demand for the selected crop. Usually full payback occurs in two years.

Where to sell the harvested crop?

The winter greenhouse as a business has been set up and the first harvest has been received, now it is necessary to organize sales. You can engage in self-sale at a rented trading place or start cooperation directly with small traders and supermarkets.

Many consumers are wary of purchasing foreign berries and vegetables. Therefore, entrepreneurs prefer natural local products. This is the advantage of the greenhouse business.
Each region has its own characteristics that must be taken into account during planning. The location of the greenhouse is chosen very carefully. Poor choice of area and improper construction of buildings can make a business unprofitable. Compliance with agricultural technology will allow you to get the highest possible yield. You will have to make a lot of physical effort, but in the future all efforts will be rewarded.

Greenhouse farming is a stable business.