It is said that as high as 70% of the global population derives its livelihood from crop farming. Crop farming is a huge component of the agricultural industry as a whole. The profitability of crop farming makes it one of the most alluring agro-preneurship ventures in the world. Though there’s a common shift in natural climate and weather patterns people are now exploring ways to grow crops without relying on natural conditions. Greenhouses, vertical farms or irrigation are some of the ways people are using in cushioning themselves against limitations brought about by natural conditions. The number of crops in existence is obviously high but herein we discuss some of the top crop farming businesses.
Cabbage Farming
Cabbages are a very strategic horticulture crop to grow owing their being on demand. People use cabbages for several food dishes because they are easy to handle and prepare. Growing cabbages involves relatively less demanding processes thus making them a preferable pick. Cabbages are also characterised by high yields with low costs. They don’t usually require expensive maintenance needs such as pesticides and the like. When harvested they have a substantial shelf life that allows for easy transportation and selling. Overall, cabbages can be competitively priced such that virtually anyone can afford them. All these details, plus more, make cabbage farming business a very lucrative venture.
Tomato Farming
Tomatoes are one of the most indispensable components when it comes to cooking. It’s actually commonplace for people to purchase fresh tomatoes daily. They can also be processed into tomato pastes or incorporated into other processed items such as tomato sauces. Tomatoes also entail very high yields per tomato seed sown. Niching options are wide ranging from individuals, households to other businesses such as food outlets and catering businesses. This is one business avenue you mustn’t hesitate to start if you ever think of because tomato farming business is very profitable. Also to consider is an onion farming business plan, as it is also very profitable.
Potato Farming
Potatoes like maize are rich in starch but wield more options when it comes to their inclusion in food dishes. Interestingly potato chips are a major component of most fast food joints. So this shows how big of a market for potatoes there is. In several countries potatoes tend to be imported because local suppliers will be failing to satisfy market demand. Essentially this serves as an encouragement to current and prospective potato farmers to up their scales and enter the space respectively. Potato farming is a very profitable business.
Mushroom Farming
Mushrooms are a very unique, tasty and highly nutritious crop. They are so rich in minerals, proteins and vitamins plus they can be prepared raw or processed into many different food items. The possible markets one can provide with mushrooms are many spanning from individuals to catering businesses or even export markets. The mushroom family is quite broad and comprises both poisonous and non-poisonous species. So it’s important to ensure you’re growing the edible (non-poisonous) ones. It’s also important to practise the recommended farming approaches due to the sensitive nature of mushrooms. Even during harvesting, handling, storage and transportation ensure the strictest levels of hygiene and optimal temperatures possible. It’s important to emphasize this because if mushrooms aren’t handled properly, even the edible ones can end up being poisonous – so be diligent and seek expert advice at all times.
Small Grains Farming
Small grains are crops such as millet, rapoko or sorghum. These crops are very important because of their resilience – they can thrive under very harsh conditions. They are vital as food crops and also as ingredients in a number of processed items such as alcoholic beverages. The reason why it can be lucrative to do small grains is because they are low-cost and low-maintenance to grow thus increasing the profit margins.
Maize Farming
Maize (or corn in other countries) is very common due to its rich starch value. Maize can be cooked or roasted and can be processed into many products. Earlier we talked about how people have now increasingly migrated from sole reliance on natural conditions. This now makes it possible to grow maize during any time of the year. Maize can be used for stock feeds and even their stalks can be used to feed livestock or can be broken down into mulch or manure. So growing maize is quite a lucrative venture, not just for the domestic market but even for export. There are so many countries that get affected by droughts and maize ends up being imported by such countries. In fact, maize is actually a staple crop in some countries so growing maize is a good move.
Nursery
Most crop farming initiatives require seedlings to start the journey. Whilst some prefer to develop their own seed beds some opt to purchase from nurseries. So establishing a nursery business is a smart line of business to engage in. You simply have to conduct your market research and figure out which crops are commonly grown then you start growing and providing their seedlings. Not much land (or space) and water will be needed so you can establish this business virtually anywhere.
As always you must take market research seriously despite the fact that all these crop farming businesses are lucrative. There’s also a need to carefully consider the location, state of the soil, road networks and availability of water. You must also strike strategic alliances with agriculture experts especially with regards to pest control as that can lead to losses if unchecked. Acquire seeds or seedlings from reputable sources as that can be the sole reason why you’ll either reap high yields or losses.
