Business plan for growing potatoes. Potato growing business: affordable and profitable

Potatoes are a popular agricultural crop, familiar to us since childhood. The advantage of this vegetable is that any novice farmer can grow it without the use of special equipment. Of course, processing potato fields with special equipment saves time significantly, but, unlike other agricultural crops, potatoes can be planted and harvested manually, without intermediate manipulations, that is, harvesting occurs immediately at the final stage and the potatoes, after drying, can be stored .

Thanks to these advantages, novice farmers have a question - Is the potato business profitable or not?? You will find the answer in this article.

Features of such a business

Potatoes can be grown profitably in various areas, but for a beginner, the best option would be a field of up to 2 hectares. Causes:

1. The specified area can be served by a family or even one person;
2. In this case, the initial costs will be relatively small - up to 350 thousand rubles. This takes into account the purchase of a mini-tractor (motoblock) with a set of appropriate equipment (hiller, plow, body, harvesting unit). The cost of all of the above will be at least 200 thousand rubles. If the cultivated area is relatively small (several tens of acres), then the family will be able to do without a tractor, relying on their own strength, but understanding that all manipulations will take more time;
3. With small volumes, growing potatoes can be done without interrupting your main job. That is, the sale of this vegetable will be an additional pleasant income, and the main job can become an excellent place to sell the finished crop;
4. This area will be enough to gain experience in growing potatoes on an industrial scale.

Start-up costs

As mentioned above, the main expense item will be a mini-tractor (motoblock) with the necessary set of equipment; in addition, in the first year of the formation of this business, the beginning farmer will also have to shell out money for:

1. Seed material- These are potatoes intended for planting. There is no need to save on it, as this will affect the quality and quantity of the harvest. On average you will have to spend 100 thousand rubles. This is a one-time expense; next year the entrepreneur will be able to use his own potatoes as seed material. We recommend purchasing seed material from specialized nurseries, where they will give you a guaranteed variety. Since in the market, even with the appropriate documents, they may sell you something that is not what you need in the form of seed material;
2. Land lease. If you don’t have your own field, then for 2 hectares you will have to pay up to 7 thousand rubles annually (in many regions it is less);
3. Fertilizers, protection from diseases, pests. On average it will cost 10-25 thousand rubles. Moreover, taking into account that the procedures necessary to protect the vegetable will be carried out by specialists. If a farmer wants to save money, then you can keep it to a modest 6-7 thousand rubles and do all the work yourself.

How to save money

If you don’t have the required amount for a tractor and equipment, then the financial burden can be reduced by purchasing everything you need on lease. In this case, you will immediately have to pay a third of the full cost. The remaining amount can be paid over several years.

Purchasing a used tractor will also significantly help reduce costs. If there is no money at all, then you can do without mechanical means, but the area of ​​the plot should be small (up to 10-100 acres). Instead of special equipment, you can hire general workers; their services are valued at 100-200 rubles per hour. If you attract them to harvest potatoes, then payment can be replaced in kind, that is, a new harvest.

Growing technology

Proper growing technology includes the following:

1. Purchase and preparation of seed material;
2. Soil preparation;
3. Landing;
4. Hilling;
5. Fertilizer;
6. Protection from all kinds of pests;
7. Harvesting;
8. Storage.

Seed material

Potatoes for planting should be purchased in the fall. Moreover, the seller is obliged to attach documents confirming high reproductive rate and absence of diseases; if there are none, then the buyer assumes all risks.

Seed material– these are medium-sized potatoes (3-5 cm in diameter), without signs of disease or damage. All tubers must belong to the same variety.

Before planting, all purchased seed material must be “greened”. Why is it placed in a cool (temperature should be between 1-3°C), humid room, where there is diffuse sunlight. The tubers should remain there for 20 days.

Also, before planting, potatoes need to be allowed to germinate. Why is it moved to a warm (temperature should be between 12-15°C), bright room. Tubers are considered ready for planting after the appearance of strong, thick shoots, the length of which is at least one and a half centimeters.

To prevent various diseases, the farmer must place the seed material in a boric acid solution. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.

Soil preparation

The soil in which potatoes will be planted must be loose, which will allow the tubers to easily develop and receive the required amount of oxygen. To do this, the soil must be dug up, plowed or loosened in the fall. Moreover, the last option is the most correct way. You also need to add to the soil:

1. Wood ash, which not only nourishes potatoes, but also protects them from wireworm larvae, the Colorado potato beetle;
2. Humus that nourishes the potatoes and also warms the soil.

Planting potatoes for subsequent sale

This procedure is carried out when the ground warms up to 8°C, and to a depth of 10 cm. An important indicator is planting density, so the optimal scheme is 75X50 cm. This means that the distance between rows should be 75 cm, and the same indicator between bushes of the same row - 50 cm. But optimal patterns for different varieties may differ. especially if they are early. For example, the popular type of domestic potato Ryabinushka is planted according to the 60X30 pattern.

The planting depth of tubers is 4-8 cm.

Hilling

A week after planting potatoes, weeds appear and this is a signal about the need to hill up. This procedure prevents the growth of all kinds of weeds, and most importantly ensures sufficient ventilation of roots and tubers and gives them the opportunity to develop. Which helps to increase the yield. Hilling is performed at least twice during the growing season. Each time the layer of soil under the potato bush needs to be increased by 10 cm.

Fertilizer

When planting, manure should be added; when it is necessary to save, then it is replaced with bone meal, chicken manure, and other organic fertilizers. If the land is not depleted, then everything indicated will be enough for the entire season. But when the soil contains a small amount of nutrients, then you need to be prepared to use chemical fertilizers.

Protection from pests and diseases

Treatment with insecticides is a mandatory procedure; it is performed after the bushes begin to flower, and later if necessary. It is also necessary to combat late blight, for which spraying is performed. In total, 5-6 such procedures may be needed per season.

Harvesting

Drying tops, which should be mowed, indicate that it is time to harvest the potatoes. And after 2 weeks, the tubers themselves are removed from the ground.

Storage

For long-term storage, potatoes are dried in the fresh air for two weeks and then stored in a ventilated basement.

How to get maximum profit by growing potatoes for sale

Russian potato growers are accustomed to violating existing growing technologies; this is done in order to save money. In fact, in our country, the only necessary procedures that are often performed are planting, subsequent hilling, and collection. Diseases are combated by removing affected bushes. And unsuitable tubers are used as seed material. It is no coincidence that such savings still allow us to obtain 18-20 tons of potatoes from each hectare. That is, cutting down on the amount of work is one of the growing methods.

But still, modern technologies provide the maximum profit, for example, such as the Dutch method, which involves creating ridges from the soil where potatoes are planted.

Another effective way of growing is mulching with straw, which protects against weeds, creates the necessary microclimate, and prevents dehydration.

Everyone in Russia knows what potatoes are. It is the most consumed vegetable in our kitchens. Remember the movie “Girls”, where the cook told a team of lumberjacks what could be made from potatoes. One can even say that potatoes are a strategic product for our country, therefore its cultivation, as well as the purchase of seed funds, is supported by the state.

After the collapse of collective farms, many rural residents became farmers and began to grow potatoes. But as the cost of fuel and worn-out equipment increased, everything led to the fact that weak farms went bankrupt. It should also be added that in our country there is only potato growing, but its processing is practically absent and this is a new and large field for business development.

In our article we will try to understand it using a small example about growing potatoes as a business or, more simply, growing potatoes for sale. How much can you earn from this seasonal business, how to develop a business plan for growing potatoes. But we will start with preparing the soil for growing potatoes, choosing planting material and fighting beetles.

Growing potatoes for sale

Selection of seed material

Potato varieties should be carefully selected for planting. The varieties grown in Belarus are completely unsuitable for planting in the Urals, etc. Early-ripening, mid-ripening and universal potato varieties are used for cultivation.

Let's look at potato varieties using the example of the Ural region. Early varieties include the varieties “Governor”, ​​“Vineta”, “Lyubava”, “Bullfinch”, “White Spring”. Ripening occurs in 60-70 days, yield is from 270 to 400 centners per hectare. Mid-season varieties - “Crown”, “Lukyanovsky”, “Equator”, “Bezhitsky”, “Effect”, “Aspia”. Ripening is 70-80 days, yield is from 30 to 50 tons per hectare. The main seed material in the Urals are universal varieties. These varieties are used in garden plots; they perform well in unfavorable weather conditions. These varieties are: “Spiridon” (red potatoes, oval, ripening 90-110 days, yield 138-278 centners per hectare) and “Sante” (yellow potatoes, smooth, ripening 80-90 days, yield 0.8-1 kilogram per bush).

The cost of seed potatoes is from 8 to 30 rubles per kilogram. Seed potatoes are cheaper in the fall and more expensive in the spring. It is also unknown how the seed potatoes were stored, so it is recommended to purchase them in the fall. For our calculations, we will accept the cost of planting material as 25 rubles per kilogram.

Potato growing technology. Features of soil preparation and planting potatoes

In the Urals, potatoes are planted no earlier than mid-May; the soil temperature should warm up to 8 degrees. For planting, only sprouted potatoes are used. It is better if the planned rows of your planted potatoes are directed from north to south. This arrangement will provide better lighting for potato bushes.

The distance between rows should be 70 cm; for industrial cultivation, one meter is better. The potato planting depth is 5-8 centimeters. It is better to pour ash into each hole to control pests or treat planting material with it. After the potatoes are planted, the ground should be leveled, preferably with a rake or hoe.

The best watering for potatoes is when the tubers are gaining weight, late June - July. In villages, potatoes are earthed up a month after planting by raking the soil around the bush. According to the rules, hilling is carried out in three stages. The first time is after the first three leaves appear on the bush, the second time is 2-3 weeks after the first time, the last time is before the tops close. On large areas, as a rule, they hill up twice. Weeding is done as needed.

Fertilizer for growing potatoes. During the emergence of the first leaves, do the first feeding (10 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of urea and 0.5 liters of mullein), the second feeding during budding (10 liters of water, 1 tablespoon of potassium sulfate and 2-3 tablespoons of ash), the third feeding - at the time of flowering (for 10 liters of water, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and 200 grams of mullein or chicken droppings).

Pest Control

Enemies of the potato crop can be: the Colorado potato beetle, wireworm, mole cricket and potato nematode. For late blight, the remedy “Pennkozeb” or “Ditan M-45” is suitable (spraying during the growing season, the second with an interval of 7-14 days), for wireworms or the Colorado potato beetle, you should treat the tubers or treat the bottom of the furrow during planting with the means “Tabu”, etc. To preserve the harvest, carefully consider the choice of pest control.

Our expenses for this item are mullein 3,000 rubles, pest control 2,000 rubles.

What do you need to start a business growing potatoes for sale?

If you live in a village, then you should already have tools such as a shovel, hoe and pitchfork. If you are a city resident, then first you should either buy or rent a plot of land, at least 30 acres. The cost of purchasing a plot of land for agricultural production will be approximately 5,000 rubles per hundred, the total cost of the plot will be 150,000 rubles, renting a plot will cost 30 hectare for the entire period of potato growth will cost you 3,000 rubles. If you do not have a tool in the form of a shovel or hoe, then for calculation we take its cost in the amount of 1,000 rubles. For the initial digging of the site, its harrowing and hilling, you can use a cultivator; the cost of such a one-time service is 2,000 rubles for such a site. If you decide to constantly earn money by growing potatoes, we recommend purchasing a cultivator as your own.

We accept for calculation: rent of a plot 3,000 rubles, tools 1,000 rubles, rent of a cultivator 6,000 rubles.

Let's summarize all expenses

Land plot rent 3,000 rubles, tools and cultivator rental 7,000 rubles. Planting material (15-25 kilograms per hundred square meters) 20 kilograms per hundred square meters, cost will be 20*25*30=15,000 rubles. Other expenses, fuel and lubricants will amount to 5,000 rubles. Total expenses 30,000 rubles.

Calculation of profit from growing potatoes

The average potato yield is 200 kilograms per hundred square meters. We put 10% on rotten and chopped potatoes, and we end up with (200*30)-10% = 5,400 kilograms. The sales price is 15 rubles per kilogram, the proceeds will be 81,000 rubles. Our estimated profit from growing potatoes on a plot of 30 acres is 51,000 rubles.

Conclusion

Many people ask: is it profitable to grow potatoes for sale? Potato business is always profitable, since this product will always find its buyer. This calculation was made for a small area, without the use of agricultural machinery and auxiliary workers, without warehousing and storing potatoes in a vegetable storehouse. Therefore, if you decide to take a serious approach to the business of growing potatoes, already on a production scale, possibly with further processing, then start with the main thing. The main thing in this business is to preserve the harvest, i.e. vegetable store.

In this material:

Potatoes are the first most popular food product for 90% of the population of our country. The root vegetable is used to prepare a huge number of dishes, from soups to unique recipes for boiling and frying the fruit. That is why the demand for root crops exceeds supply. Stores are forced to purchase goods from abroad, so farmers have huge potential for selling their own products. A business plan for growing potatoes involves serious analytical and organizational measures, which will ultimately lead to a quick return on investment and labor.

Description of the potato growing business

The potato business is relevant because it involves the cultivation of a universal product consumed by all segments of the population. The absence of problems with the distribution channel implies unlimited income, depending only on the area of ​​the site and the capabilities of the entrepreneur.

Advantages

Positive aspects of potato growing:

• demand - potatoes are consumed by everyone, from small children to elderly people;
• high profitability - indicators are always higher than similar types of business, including retail trade in essential food products;
• minimal investment - a serious waste of money is implied only at the initial stage of the business, when the business is developing from scratch, the acquisition (rent) of a land plot, special equipment, storage space and much more is required. But these are only one-time expenses that pay off in the future due to the lack of investments other than maintaining equipment and paying employees;
• lack of special and expensive technologies - potatoes are grown in ordinary soil using a minimum amount of fertilizers;
• 100% sales - you don’t need to think about the fact that some of the products will go bad, and even more so include risks in the cost of sales. There will always be buyers for root vegetables;
• the possibility of doubling capital by selling potatoes in winter - this is explained by the fact that in winter and closer to spring, the price of vegetables increases significantly due to the end of stocks from most suppliers. If you equip the storage room properly or grow potatoes in greenhouse conditions, you can make a profit all year round.

Reference: there are no disadvantages to the potato growing business, unless we talk about high competition, which ultimately seriously affects the value of purchase prices. There are two ways out of the situation - correctly calculate the financial plan so that profit is present in any case, or find a reliable supplier who purchases the entire batch at once.

The listed advantages are only a small part of what the potato business will bring to the entrepreneur. Depending on your needs, you can remain a successful farmer who has enough proceeds to provide for himself and his family. An alternative is to expand the business and supply products to near and far abroad.

Technology

Growing potatoes does not require special technologies or features, although there are many of them. For example, the Dutch system involves creating high furrows during the growth stage of the bush, so that it is covered as much as possible with soil.

All technologies come down to a single algorithm of actions:

1. Purchasing seeds for planting - potatoes must be large, of the same variety and compatible with the selected soil type. For example, one type of root crop shows excellent results on sandy soil, while another - only on black soil. It is not forbidden to grow several varieties at the same time if they are compatible with the soil. The area requires demarcation.
2. Cultivation of the land - the soil is plowed, treated to remove weeds, pests and fertilized. To increase the yield, it is recommended not to use the plot for any crops for 1 year.
3. Planting potatoes is a simple process that involves placing seeds in the soil using special equipment.
4. Root crop care - the first shoots appear after 3-4 weeks. At this time, the period for weeding begins. Subsequently, the bushes are hilled up and treated to remove Colorado potato beetles and weeds.
5. The final stage is harvesting and transportation to storage.

Help: despite the fact that the technology for growing potatoes does not involve any difficulties, it requires constant monitoring and care of the plants. During the dry period, it would be useful to organize an irrigation system.

Risk assessment

There are not many risks in the potato business, but they are present:

• low-quality seed material - at the procurement stage it is extremely difficult to distinguish a good product from a bad one. The result is a low harvest and a loss-making start to the business. The solution is to cooperate with trusted suppliers who have a good reputation in the market and recommendations from other manufacturers;
• weather conditions - drought or a long period of rain lead to a decrease in harvest. And if during a drought it is possible to organize at least a minimal irrigation system, then there is no escape from excess moisture during a prolonged rainy period, which leads to rotting of root crops;
• competition is a serious risk that leads to a decrease in the cost of goods. The solution is to find regular customers at a fixed price that does not depend on the market.

Help: the problem of competition can be solved by growing high-quality potatoes using special technologies. The product is sold at an inflated price to factories producing baby food and chips; in a network of cafes and restaurants.

How much can you earn by growing potatoes?

If we ignore the stages of investing and starting a business, we can calculate the approximate cost of earning money from potatoes:

• the bush grows from one planted potato;
• bush harvest volume – 2-2.5 kg;
• seedling weight – 100 g;
• the estimated cost of seeds is 40 rubles/kg;
• the cost of purchasing 1,000 kg of seedlings is 40,000 rubles;
• income from one bush (seedling) – 80 rubles;
• gross profit from the harvest is 3 million rubles.

Calculations are approximate and do not take into account the error in product spoilage at the time of growth and the costs of equipment and work. By purchasing a kilogram of potatoes for planting for 40 rubles, an entrepreneur receives income in the form of 20 kg of harvest, which in terms of money is 500-700 rubles, depending on the cost of sale.

Business registration

First, you need to decide on the status of your business activity - individual entrepreneur or LLC. In a situation where you intend to grow potatoes on your own for retail sale, you can do without any paperwork at all. But you should understand that this type of business is not entirely legal, and also requires minimum volumes of 10-20 bags of potatoes for sale at the fair.

An individual entrepreneur is the best option for small and medium-sized businesses. The status is easy to obtain and has a low state fee.

A limited liability company is a legal entity that provides for serious business with large product turnover.

Help: if growing potatoes is your first experience in the field of entrepreneurship, then it is better to choose an individual entrepreneur. In the future, you can always switch to another form depending on your preferences and scale of activity.

Choosing a tax system

Agricultural tax can be used by those entrepreneurs whose profits exceed 70% of gross income. In this case, the fee is only 6% of the difference between clean and dirty earnings. Considering that this is a single tax, contributions such as personal income tax, VAT, income tax and property tax are excluded.

The single imputed tax differs in that the amount of profit and production costs are not taken into account, since contributions are determined by the state based on the data provided. Due to this, you can save money when the actual profit is much higher than the potential one. However, next year the tax will be revised, so it is recommended to submit approximately the same information.

OKVED codes

When registering a business activity, you should select OKVED codes. “01.11.2” is suitable for growing potatoes. It includes not only the specified type of employment, but also other root plants, as well as seeds and luxury products.

Documentation

To open an individual entrepreneur, you only need an application, passport and TIN. After contacting the tax service, you need to wait 5 days and pick up the completed documents for doing business.

In the future, examination of products, premises for storing potatoes, as well as certificates for processing agents will be required. All documentation is issued by Rospotrebnadzor and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Organizational plan

The main aspect in organizational activities is the selection of land and its preparation. In the future, you need to take care of technology, personnel and the search for sales channels.

Site selection and soil preparation

A plot of land is selected taking into account its distance from a populated area and fertility. And if it is practically impossible to check the second option (the problem is solved by fertilizing the soil), then the distance to the plot plays an important role. This is explained both by the fuel consumption of equipment and the duration of delivery of finished products to a storage facility or point of sale.

Land can be purchased or rented from the state, which is much preferable. The minimum area is 10 hectares with a lease term of up to 49 years.

Soil preparation begins in the autumn, when the area is plowed and weeds are removed. Fertilizers are applied according to the instructions, otherwise the opposite effect will occur instead of yield.

Potatoes are planted in the spring in April-May at a constant soil temperature of 8-10 degrees.

Staff

An entrepreneur cannot cope with a large plot of land alone, so workers are needed in any case. It is recommended to hire permanent staff for the season instead of people who want to earn extra money for 2-3 weeks. It will be a little more expensive, but you will be assured of quality work.

The number of employees directly depends on the area of ​​land. In any case, you will need:

• mechanic-driver of equipment – ​​2 people;
• general workers – 6-8 people;
• security guards – 2 people.

The administrative part goes to the business owner.

Equipment

List of required equipment:

• tractor for arable land;
• potato planter;
• harvesting machine;
• equipment for periodically treating bushes from weeds;
• sorting machine.

You can use rented premises or build your own building as a storage facility.

Search for potato sales channels

It is necessary to look for buyers for products almost from the moment the seeds are planted, because this is a long and labor-intensive process.

Sales channel options:

1. Wholesale centers are the optimal solution for large harvests. The downside is low prices.
2. Resellers – there are advertisements for wholesale purchases of potatoes online and in newspapers. It makes sense to contact some representatives and find out about the terms of cooperation.
3. Personal suggestions – cafes, restaurants, catering places. Owners of all sectors are interested in purchasing quality goods at a low cost.
4. Retail trade - with large volumes of harvest, it is impossible to sell it entirely at retail, but it would be useful to take part in fairs and agricultural markets. In a short time, you can sell up to half of the entire harvest at a price that differs from the wholesale price by 1.5-2 times.

Information: before sale, potatoes are cleared of soil and packaged in bags of the same volume. A net is best to allow the root crops to “breathe.” Storage temperature – no higher than 4-6 degrees.

Financial plan

When organizing a potato growing business, it is necessary to calculate in detail the costs at each stage. The largest investments are expected at the start, since the business is opened from scratch.

Initial business investment and operating expenses

Spending at the start (in rubles):

• paperwork – 20,000;
• renting a plot - if the plot is rented from the state, then it is enough to pay the land tax. Otherwise, the land must be purchased, because renting from the owner will be too expensive;
• equipment – ​​1.5 million;
• seedlings – 50,000;
• storage rental for a year – 100,000;
• additional expenses – 50,000.

Result: 1 million 720 thousand rubles.

Subsequent expenses include only paying salaries to employees, maintaining equipment and purchasing fuel and lubricants. From May to September (5 months) it is necessary to pay workers (12 people) 300,000 rubles (based on 25,000 per person).

Spending on other needs will amount to 200,000 rubles.

Result: 500,000 rubles.

Income

Profit depends on the area of ​​the plot. For example, if we take the standard size of 10 hectares, then the yield will be 15-20 tons per 1 hectare. In total - 200 tons per site.

Gross profit when selling potatoes at a price of 15-17 rubles reaches 3.4 million rubles.

Net income – 3,400,000-1,720,000-500,000=1,118,000 rubles.

The amount is approximate because taxes must be subtracted from it. Moreover, if we imagine that half of the harvest is sold at retail at a price of 25-30 rubles, then the net income will increase to 2 million.

Profitability

In the first year, the business can only cover the costs of equipment and gain a little profit. But starting from the second year, expenses will concern only staff salaries and minor expenses, and income will remain at the same level or will grow.

Profitability is the ratio of net profit to dirty profit, multiplied by 100%.

1.18/3.4*100=35%

Potatoes are one of the most successful and profitable types of plants for growing for sale. Undoubtedly, the preparatory stages require serious investments, but the business prospects are much brighter than in any other industry.

We offer you another business plan: growing potatoes. Such a business is one of the most profitable if it is carried out in favorable conditions for the crop being grown. This business will be a big plus for residents of warm areas in the winter, when in the middle zone the price of potatoes doubles. Find more business ideas in the article:

Business plan “Growing potatoes for sale” - costs for seed potatoes

Our business plan is based on 30 acres of land (3,000 m2). To sow one hundred square meters you will need about 30 kg of seed potatoes. You need to use potatoes that are the size of a chicken egg or a little larger. We do not recommend taking very large potatoes.
So, for our 30 acres we will need 900 kg of seed potatoes. The price of 1 kg of this crop is on average 20 rubles, that is, to sow the entire area you need to spend about 18,000 rubles.

We purchase fertilizers

Without fertilizers, the mass cultivation of potatoes can be reduced to nothing. Since favorable black soil for cultivation is not present everywhere, you need to fertilize the soil with the following components:
Potassium superphosphate
Potassium permanganate
Ammonium sulfate
Superphosphate and potassium sulfate
Ash
All this will require about 17 rubles per square meter, and for 3,000 m2 - 51,000 rubles.

Colorado beetles are your business's enemy No. 1

The main pest of potato crops is the Colorado potato beetle. We do not recommend spraying potatoes with chemicals ahead of time. But you will still have to monitor the growth of the crop and periodically check it for the absence or presence of pests. Means to combat this insect will not be expensive - about 2,500 rubles for 30 acres.

Let's summarize all expenses

So, our business plan for growing potatoes for sale requires 30 acres of land. Since you are wondering about this kind of business, we assume that you already have land. Therefore, we do not include land costs in our calculations.
To sow 30 acres you will need:
900 kg of potatoes – 18,000 rubles
Fertilizers – 51,000 rub.
Drug against Colorado potato beetles – 2,500 rubles
Total: RUB 71,500

Income and profit

Planted potatoes take about 3 months to grow. After this time, from one hundred square meters you will dig up about 200 kg instead of the planted 30 kg, and from the entire area - 6 tons.
The retail selling price of 1 kg of potatoes in summer is 20 rubles per 1 kg, in winter – 40 rubles. It turns out that in the summer your income will be 120,000 rubles, and in the winter – 240,000 rubles. Net profit, respectively, is 48,500 and 168,500 rubles.

It is worth noting that each of the farmer-businessmen in such a business has his own approach. Every year, new and improved potato planting techniques and preparations for enhanced crop growth appear. Each of them, in practice, selects their only secret method for increasing potato yields. Pick it up too, and then your profit will double or triple!

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Potatoes are one of the main products on the Russian table. Everyone eats potatoes and everyone buys them. Even those who grow this vegetable in their summer cottage very rarely can provide themselves with it in full. Therefore, potatoes have always been and will always be in demand among the population. It follows that the business of growing potatoes is a profitable business. At the same time, growing potatoes is not very difficult; they grow well in most regions of our country.

What does it take to grow and sell a good potato crop? Of course, first of all you need a plot of land. In addition, seed material, agricultural machinery, fertilizers and labor are needed. Well, before you take decisive action to acquire all these components, you need to draw up a business plan.

Stages of growing potatoes

Growing potatoes is a business with a quick payback. From the moment of planting to the moment of sale of the finished product, only four months pass. Growing potatoes includes the following steps:

1. Preparation of planting material.
2. Soil preparation.
3. Landing.
4. Hilling.
5. Fertilizer.
6. Pest control.
7. Cleaning.
8. Storage.
9. Package.
10. Sale.

Planting material

Preparation of planting material occurs in the fall. To do this, the grown potatoes are sorted out and small, clean potatoes without signs of disease or spoilage are selected. Potatoes selected for planting must be “greened”, that is, placed in light for approximately twenty days. Direct sunlight is not suitable for this; the lighting should be diffused. This procedure improves the seed quality of potatoes and protects them from rotting.

After germination, the potatoes are stored in a room without access to light, with a temperature of 1 to 3 degrees and a humidity of 80-90%.

A month before sowing, the potatoes are moved to a bright and warm room. Here it should sprout. The size of the sprout before planting potatoes should be at least 1 cm.

If large-sized potatoes were selected for planting (some varieties have tubers up to 400 g), they need to be divided into parts. The potatoes are cut into halves or quarters, keeping in mind that each part must have at least two or three eyes. Cut the potatoes before sprouting or two weeks after sprouting begins. It is useful to cover the cut areas with wood ash to protect the tubers from diseases. In addition, ash is an excellent fertilizer.

Preparing the soil and planting potatoes

Potatoes are planted in May in central Russia. In the south it can land in March-April. In the north of the country - in June. The main indicator is soil temperature. At a depth of 10-12 cm, the soil should warm up to 8 degrees.

Before planting, the soil is cleared of weeds and loosened. The earth is dug up with shovels, a simpler option is with pitchforks, or using equipment: a plow and a walk-behind tractor or a tractor. By modern standards, the soil does not need to be turned over, while changing places of the upper and lower layers. You just need to loosen it well.

Potatoes are planted in rows, and the distance in the rows from bush to bush should be at least a meter. The distance in the rows is about thirty centimeters. This is enough for the normal development of the bush and processing using technology.

The depth of planting potatoes should not be large - only 5-8 cm. But above the planted potatoes, a ridge of soil is formed with the help of agricultural implements. The height of the ridge when planting is 10 cm.

Potato care

Approximately two weeks after planting, weed removal and hilling are carried out. After this procedure, the soil ridge above the potatoes should increase by another 10 cm. The soil should be loose and soft. Potatoes will grow and develop in this ridge.

When the potato bushes begin to bloom, they are sprayed with solutions against Colorado potato beetles, which can cause significant damage to the crop.

You can water your potatoes two to three times a week if there is no rain. In severe drought, watering can be daily. In cloudy weather and high humidity, the amount of watering can be reduced.

The best organic fertilizer for growing potatoes is cow or horse manure. It is brought into the ground before planting and mixed with the soil. You can do without chemical fertilizers altogether if you have organic ones and the soil is not depleted. And in order to maintain soil fertility, after harvesting it is worth sowing it with any green manure - sunflower, corn, clover, etc. They will not only act as fertilizer, but will protect the soil from depletion, disease and the proliferation of harmful weeds. This will guarantee a good next harvest.

Potatoes need to be harvested immediately after ripening, in which case they will retain all their beneficial qualities and will be stored longer. It must be stored in dry, specially equipped rooms.

Legal registration of agricultural business

If the land on which you grow potatoes in small quantities is your property and falls into the category of private subsidiary plots (personal subsidiary plot), then you do not have to register at all and simply sell the products on the market.

But in order to expand your sales methods and become a businessman who legally grows and sells your products, you will need. In accordance with, your coding is A. 01.13.21 - production of agricultural products. You will pay a single agricultural tax (). It amounts to 6% of net profit and is considered the most favorable of business taxes.

Business plan for growing potatoes

Let's consider a specific example of a business plan for a private farm growing potatoes.

The area of ​​the cultivated plot is 30 acres and is owned by the owner of the farm. First of all, it is planned to purchase the equipment necessary for the work:

• Mini tractor (or walk-behind tractor) – 35,000 rubles.
• Plow for mini-tractor – 2,000.
• Hiller for mini-tractor – 2,000.
• Body for transporting goods using a mini-tractor – 20,000.
• Device for digging up potatoes (attached to a mini-tractor) – 3,000.
• Total - 62,000 is needed to purchase equipment.

Note that the equipment is purchased only once, that is, these are the costs of the first year of operation. In the future, there may be costs for repairs and replacement of equipment, but they will be much less.

Additionally, once the crop is harvested, there will be transportation costs to transport it to the buyer. They will amount to about 5,000 rubles. There is no provision for hiring employees. All work is carried out by the family of the farm owners. There are also no expenses for purchasing seeds; personal farms have potatoes for planting.

It is planned to spend about 3,000 rubles on fertilizers and the fight against Colorado potato beetles. That is, the total costs will be 70,000 rubles.

About 250 kg of potatoes are harvested from one hundred square meters of land. This means that the planned harvest will be about 7500 kg. At a potato price of 20 rubles per kg (planned to sell to wholesalers), the income from the enterprise will be 150,000 rubles.

Potato packaging

Selected, clean and bagged potatoes cost approximately twice as much as dirty potatoes in regular bags. Therefore, it is advisable to pack the potatoes yourself before selling them to customers.

This can be done on a small farm and on your own. The equipment you need to prepare and pack potatoes is easy to find or purchase. In order to set up a small business of your own packing grown potatoes you will need:

• Large containers for washing potatoes (bath).
• Uninterrupted access to water in large quantities.
• A room for drying potatoes (a shed or barn with a slatted floor will do).
• Scales.
• Packaging bags. The most common size is 25x40 cm. The material is dense porous polyethylene.
• Stapler for sealing bags.
• Staples for stapler.
• A strip of cardboard measuring 25x4 cm
• Label 25x8 cm

The process of packing potatoes occurs in several stages:

• The harvest is sorted, and all damaged potatoes must be removed.
• Selected potatoes are soaked in a container of water.
• After an hour, the water is drained and new water is added. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times.
• After the last draining, the peeled potatoes are laid out to dry.
• Dried potatoes are placed in bags, weighed, and adjusted to the specified weight. Typically the weight of a bag of potatoes is from 2 to 4 kg.
• The upper, free part of the packaging bag is wrapped several times around the cardboard. This is done for rigidity.
• A label is placed on top of the wrapped cardboard and stapled in two or three places.
• The package with selected beautiful potatoes is ready.

Sales of finished products

Potatoes can be sold in several ways:

If you are growing potatoes in large quantities, then you should take care of oral and written agreements with wholesalers in advance. An agreement that specifies the terms, prices and other conditions of your cooperation will allow you to focus on agricultural work and not worry about selling the harvest.