Strawberry business in the country or how to make money on strawberries

Strawberries are certainly loved by many, but there is one problem - the seasonal ripening of the berries. Harvesting is carried out in June - July, then it can be eaten only in blanks (jam, jam, freezing) or buy an imported product that does not always have good quality due to long-term transportation and a huge amount of chemicals introduced into the berries to increase shelf life.

Is it possible to provide yourself with fresh strawberries all year round?

Yes you can! And not only provide for themselves, but also make good money at the same time.

In order to get significant profits, you do not need so much - to work out a business plan, decide on a growing place, choose the best seeds or seedlings, grow a crop and, of course, realize it.

So, we open a business on strawberries.

Related article: homemade strawberries in the apartment!

Business plan or calculate the costs and profitability of growing strawberries

First you need to decide how and where the plants will be grown, the level of costs directly depends on this moment.

There are two options:

1. Open ground.
2. Greenhouse.

Business software growing strawberries in the open field - the least costly option, but it is suitable only for the traditional, summer harvest of berries and is not suitable for achieving stable, year-round income.

It is believed that growing strawberries at home is not as profitable as, for example, in open areas or in a greenhouse. This opinion is not entirely correct, it all depends on individual conditions, the availability of free space for planting, as well as the choice of the right varieties.

Greenhouse costs

• 
  Lighting - sodium lamps with reflectors, with a power of at least 400 watts, their number is taken at the rate of 1 lamp per 1 m2 of area. Plantations should be illuminated for at least 12 hours a day - this is also a significant expense item.
• Watering - containers and rubber tubes for the device of the drip irrigation system.
• Seeds or seedlings - preference should be given to remontant self-pollinated varieties with an early ripening period, such as: Volya, Sakhalin, Primadonna, Elsanta, Temptation, Kama, Glima, Inexhaustible, Cambridge.
• Shelves and containers - you can make your own, just buy materials: plastic, metal profiles or thick plywood.

If you don't want to cultivate your strawberries the traditional way - in boxes, containers, or garden beds - try growing them in large plastic bags. This method does not require large areas, which increases the profitability of growing strawberries, and it is much easier to care for plants.

Profitability

According to statistics, annually, the demand for strawberries increases by an average of 40%. In this regard, the profitability of its cultivation, especially in the autumn, spring and winter periods, can be 100 percent or more.

For example, consider the profitability of a small farm, ie there is 1 heifer with an area of ​​80 m². On such an area, 65 m² of racks are freely placed, each m² of usable area with fruiting plants gives about 5 kg of berries per month - 65x5x400 r. (cost of berries in the off-season) = 130,000 p. - profit.

From such a simple example, it is clearly seen that even taking into account all the necessary expenses for growing strawberries in a greenhouse, this business is very profitable.

According to experts, the recoupment of the primary costs of the strawberry business, when growing berries in a greenhouse, is no more than 3 months, to this it is necessary to add another 3 months for plant growth, ovary and berry ripening. As a result, it turns out that within six months you can get a net profit.

Business - strawberries all year round. Agricultural technology of cultivation

Greenhouse selection

• A glass greenhouse is an excellent option, the plants receive maximum natural light, there is the possibility of installing an additional heating system. There is, perhaps, only one minus here - during its construction, a capital foundation is required.
• The film construction is a light construction, its construction is the least expensive in comparison with the construction of other types of greenhouses. When using it, one should take into account that the film, even the best one, cannot protect plants from the cold, and it is quite problematic to arrange heating in such a building. Accordingly, the risk of plant death is high. This design is absolutely unsuitable for business; strawberries cannot be grown here all year round.
• A polycarbonate greenhouse is the best option in all respects. A durable, comfortable structure in which you can provide the necessary microclimate, install lighting and heating devices in full, the required amount.

The soil

To ensure intensive and continuous fruiting, ordinary garden or vegetable garden soil is not suitable, it is necessary to use only an enriched, highly nutritious substrate. For self-preparation of 500 kg of suitable soil, you will need:

• Straw (wheat or oats) - 300 kg.
• Mullein or chicken dung - 190 kg.
• Ground chalk - 7 kg.
• Urea - 3 kg.

After preparing all the components, composting is performed. To do this, they are laid out in a pile in layers: 20 cm straw, 12 cm droppings or mullein, urea. Lay the layers until a pile with a height of about 1.8-2 m is formed, its width can be arbitrary, but it is more convenient if it is equal to 1.5 m. When forming a pile, each layer is spilled warm (not hot) water. On average, the fermentation process begins in a week. In order for the fermentation to take place evenly, the components are mixed every 10 days, while adding chalk in equal doses. After completing the composting process, the nutrient soil (substrate) should have:

• color - dark brown;
• structure - homogeneous, light;
• ammonia smell - absent.

When starting a home business, strawberries are grown under the same conditions as in a greenhouse: light level, preparation of a nutrient medium, watering. The only thing that agricultural technicians recommend changing is the containers for planting seedlings. In a room, garage or balcony, there is no need to install shelving with bulky boxes. Alternatively, you can grow the plants the Dutch method in bags or grow them in some kind of hanging compact container.

Watering

Optimally, for irrigating strawberries, use the drip irrigation method. Such a system consists of simple structures:

• flexible, pre-drilled rubber hoses;
• dropper;
• water source - an ordinary tap or irrigation container.

With drip irrigation, water flows directly under the plant, to the root system, nourishing it without overmoistening the soil.

How to make money on strawberries - implementation

Don't know how to make money off strawberries? Before starting a business, it is necessary to think in advance how and where to sell products later. Considering the properties of strawberries (a delicate berry that is little stored without special equipment), this question is very relevant.

Marketing methods

• Self sale.
  The method is quite problematic, since, firstly, it is necessary to rent retail space, at least some kind of stall, and secondly, to purchase equipment for storing and cooling berries and,thirdly, to have a lot of free time for trading.
• Sale of berries to retail chains - supermarkets, private sellers, mini-stores.
  This option is not bad. After the conclusion of a supply agreement, the provision of a product quality certificate and a document on the fertilizers used in the cultivation, you can supply berries to the distribution network and receive your legal income without worrying about anything.
• Delivery of berries to processing plants.
  As a rule, such enterprises pay much less for the products provided than can be obtained from sellers of fresh berries, but there is also a positive point - volumes. For those who have large areas with strawberry plantings, this option can be extremely profitable if you sign a contract with a company for a long time with regular supplies of raw materials.

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