Growing strawberries hydroponically as a business. Growing strawberries hydroponically. The nuances of growing strawberries in a greenhouse

Eating fresh vegetables and herbs in any season of the year in different parts of the country has ceased to be a luxury. These products are not scarce and have an affordable price even for people with average income. Consumer demand explains the interest of farmers in greenhouse complexes and methods of growing crops. Modern technologies have simplified this work and made it possible to collect excellent harvests without losing a single piece of territory. A novice farmer may be interested in a hydroponic greenhouse business plan, from which he can start a successful business.

This example allows you to determine investments at the initial stage, costs during the operation of the complex and the profitability of the business.

Special system

A hydroponic greenhouse is a system that fully supplies the plant with water and nutrients.

• The ripening time of the crop is reduced.
• Economical water consumption.
• Soil quality does not affect productivity.
• There is no problem of dirt on the crop.

To start a greenhouse you need special equipment and containers. Containers are selected taking into account the crop that will grow in the greenhouse. A special substrate (crushed stone, gravel, grass) is placed in them and liquid is poured in, which is replenished as needed through hoses.

The hydroponic greenhouse complex will operate all year round. Cultures can change. During the cold period, installation of heating and lamps is required. The devices will compensate for climate and light changes.

Hydroponics allows you to start your own business in any soil. There is no need to search for fertile land, which is often neglected and requires effort to cultivate when choosing a traditional greenhouse farming. It is possible to reduce the price for a plot with depleted soil when renting or purchasing.

Object characteristics

Type of activity: Agriculture, growing crops in a greenhouse for commercial purposes.

OKVED: 01.13 Growing vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms and truffles; 01.19 Growing flowers for cutting into buds.

Legal form: LLC

Taxation: simplified tax system

Location of the facility: Hydroponic greenhouses will be located in a village that is no more than 70 km from the regional center. This will reduce transportation costs for the purchase of consumables for the greenhouse and when marketing the product. The land plot is not of particular value to the administration, because the soil is unsuitable for cultivating agricultural crops. At the initial stage, the plot will be leased with the option of purchasing as the first profit is received. There are buildings on the territory that can be used as storage facilities for seeds, fertilizers, and equipment. One building can be converted into a cold warehouse for storing and packaging products before shipment to customers. The territory needs to be fenced, communications (water, electricity) installed, and access roads arranged.

Schedule:

Every day from 8.00 to 18.00

Types of services:

• Growing an assortment of greens using hydroponics.
• Growing vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes).
• Growing flowers for cutting into bouquets.
• Growing strawberries.
• Sales of products in small and large wholesale.
• Retail sale of products.

Investment stage of the project

To start activities, you need to draw up a business plan for a hydroponic greenhouse with calculations, draw up documents for legalization of the farm, and arrange the selected territory. Any greenhouse business depends on the climatic conditions of the region in which it is located. The same parameter determines the amount of investment and profitability. Our project is focused on the middle zone, where the warm season is replaced by prolonged cold and lack of sun. To ensure productivity, insulation, heating, lighting, and ventilation will be required to prevent condensation. All costs are reflected in the table:

Expense item	Amount, rub.
Collection of documents, LLC registration	30 thousand
Rent of land for a year	presumably 20 thousand (more precisely, according to the results of the auction)
Purchase of industrial greenhouses	150 thousand
Installation of the foundation and assembly of the structure	70 thousand
Industrial hydroponic system (sown area 60 sq. m.)	1 million 200 thousand
Fertilizers, mineral complexes, substrate	50 thousand
Pots, seeds	10 thousand
Installation of communications (plumbing, electricity, ventilation)	50 thousand
Packaging, labels, containers for transporting products.	10 thousand
Arrangement of the warehouse with racks for storing products before shipment.	100 thousand
Total	1 million 700 thousand

The final investment amount may differ from that stated in the table depending on the area of ​​greenhouses, their number and the choice of hydroponic system. Hydroponics is the most expensive expense. Its cost varies from 50 thousand to several million rubles, depending on the modification. If greenhouse farming is focused on mass production, then there is no need to save on equipment, which determines the speed of ripening and the amount of harvest.

Scheduling

It is assumed that the hydroponic greenhouse will operate all year round. The demand for greens, vegetables, flowers and other plant crops is not seasonal due to the improved living conditions of modern people. The installation period of the greenhouse is determined by climatic conditions. A frame can be installed on frozen ground if the foundation is laid in advance and communications are installed. Therefore, we will plan the start of work for the warm season - spring or autumn, in order to sow the required crop in a timely manner. In our case, we start planning the dates in early spring, selecting a suitable site in advance and arranging a lease.

Procedure/Month	01–02	03	04	05	06
Preparation of a business plan, search for territory for a greenhouse complex	+
LLC registration		+
Applying for a loan or subsidy		+
Drawing up a lease agreement. Obtaining funds for the implementation of the project.			+
Submitting an application for a greenhouse and hydroponic system.			+
Installation of greenhouses and equipment.			+
Summing up communications. Setting up equipment and communications.			+
Recruitment			+
Search for clients	+	+	+	+	+
Arrangement of the adjacent territory.				+
Purchase of seeds, fertilizers, substrate. First sowing of the crop.				+
Harvesting the first harvest (greens). Sowing the next crop.					+
Dispatch of the first batch of goods.					+

The advantage of a hydroponic greenhouse over the classical method is the speed of crop ripening, regardless of the type of crop. If you alternate greens, vegetables, flowers, seedlings, taking into account the ripening conditions and sequence, you can make a profit from a specific harvest every month.

Personnel appointments

Hydroponics works automatically, but requires human control:

• Mineral solutions must be loaded into the system in a certain proportion, taking into account the characteristics of the crop.
• Seeds also cannot get into the cells on their own.
• The climate in the greenhouse must be controlled.
• Product collection cannot be carried out without the participation of employees.

The farm requires specialists:

Job title	Quantity	Salary, rub	Total, rub.
Director	1	25 thousand	25 thousand
Technologist (specialist in the technology of growing crops using hydroponics)	1	15 thousand	15 thousand
Plant grower (monitors the growth and condition of plants)	3	10 thousand	30 thousand
Equipment Master	1	15 thousand	15 thousand
Handyman	2	10 thousand	20 thousand
Total	10	—	105 thousand
Deductions	—	—	30 thousand
Expenses per month	—	—	135 thousand

Administrative work and product sales will be handled by business owners. As the economy develops, it is possible to supplement the staff with a sales manager and a supplier. You can invite people to the harvest season, paying for their services at an hourly rate.

When recruiting employees, special attention should be paid to specialists with specialized education in agriculture or biology, so that a person understands the principle of growing a particular crop.

Performance planning

To assess the profitability of a business in the field of hydroponic greenhouses, it is necessary to make calculations of the profitability of the farm in the first year of operation. Various crops will be grown that coexist well in the same area. Greens and salads ripen quickly.

The first batch of the harvest can be sold a month after planting. Industrial hydroponics with 6 tiers can serve up to 4 thousand pots at the same time. Let's assume that in a greenhouse of 100 square meters. m. (usable shelving area) at the same time onions, dill, several types of lettuce, parsley, cucumbers and flower seedlings will be sown for the season of outdoor planting in flower beds.

The first income will be received from greens and salads, the share of which is 2 thousand pots. The cost of each type is different and can be set per piece or kilogram. To calculate, let’s take the average price of 70 rubles per item. The proceeds will be 140 thousand rubles.

By the gardening season, flower seedlings (petunias, marigolds, asters and others) grow, which are sold out very quickly. Prices for each type are different - from 30 to 150 rubles per root. Let's assume that the income will be about 250 thousand rubles.

Next, the cucumber harvest will ripen, which can provide an income of up to 700 thousand rubles a year or more. You can read more about productivity and profit in the field of cucumber cultivation on our portal in the thematic business plan.

Over the course of a year, a hydroponic greenhouse allows you to grow some crops in several stages:

• Greens up to 10 batches - revenue about 1 million 400 thousand rubles.
• Cucumbers in 3 stages – revenue from 700 thousand rubles.
• Flowers for seedlings 1 season - from 250 thousand rubles.
• Cut flowers in bouquets - up to 500 thousand rubles.

Total – 3 million 50 thousand rubles.

During the year, the company will have expenses for employee salaries, payment of utility bills, purchase of seeds, fertilizers, preventive maintenance, taxes and much more. To determine the net profit and profitability of a hydroponic greenhouse, let’s enter all the parameters into the table:

At the stage of opening the greenhouse, funds in the amount of 1 million 700 thousand rubles were invested. If the greenhouse generates a profit of 50 thousand rubles per month, then the farm will reach self-sufficiency in 3 years. To speed up the process, you need to consider the product range. In the first years, you can focus your activities on crops that do not require long cultivation periods and large investments in maintenance.

Eventually

Hydroponic greenhouses have many advantages, which attracts the attention of farmers. The only thing that confuses me is the cost of hydroponics itself. For industrial crop production, it is not possible to save on equipment. This is the basis of the technique. There are nuances in the intricacies of using a hydroponic system, which even specialists cannot always navigate. At the initial stage, it is better to choose a combined greenhouse option, using classical and modern methods at the same time and evaluating the pros and cons.

Hydroponics is a promising type of business. Modern technology for growing crops with minimal labor and material costs. An excellent opportunity to earn a stable profit. With low production costs, crop efficiency is 3–5 times higher than with traditional cultivation of crops in soil.

Hydroponics is a method that allows you to grow crops without using soil. The plant receives its nutrients from a special liquid solution containing all the necessary elements.

Key advantages of hydroponics over traditional growing:

• the process of delivering nutrients to the plant occurs much faster due to additional oxygen, which activates root development.
• economical water consumption.
• The plant uses the energy saved on searching for nutrients for growth.

The hydroponics method works on the root of the plant. The upper part is influenced by environmental factors: lighting, temperature, daylight hours, genetic characteristics of the crop.

Business planning

To establish a profitable business, you should carefully consider all the details of production, financial investments, and calculate possible risks. You should adequately assess your abilities, skills and knowledge in this field of activity.

Organizing a business begins with planning. We draw up a business plan:

• Business registration.
• Market analysis.
• Production.
• Expenses and income.

Cultivation of plants is ensured thanks to proper infrastructure - lighting, heating, watering. When purchasing equipment, you should take into account the capabilities of the premises and the choice of crop to be grown.

Business registration procedure

Any production needs to be registered at the official level. Organizing a small business on your own site requires registration as an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur). Registration is carried out at the place of residence. Profit received from running an agricultural business is subject to 3% tax.

IP advantage:

Products grown on your own plot do not require a quality certificate.

Sales of products

Before starting production, you should carefully study the sales market, competition, and pricing policy. For a successful hydroponics business to flourish, it is necessary to be able to sell grown products at a favorable price.

Sales channels.

Carefully study the requirements of customers and the work of competitors. When choosing a plant, you should base it on your knowledge of the crop being grown. Overestimating your skills can cause failure.

What? Where? How to grow?

Choosing a crop to grow is an important task that a businessman needs to solve. Hydroponics technology makes it possible to grow plants all year round. In order to recoup the investment costs of production, constant demand for products is necessary.

Choose the plant best suited to grow in your climate. Priority crops:

• berries: strawberries, wild strawberries;
• greens: onion, dill;
• herbs: lemon balm, mint, basil;
• flowers: roses, indoor plants.

The main advantage of growing these crops is the absence of mass domestic production. An excellent prospect for the development of your company in the future.

Selecting a room or area

Having decided on the culture, the next step is choosing a location. You can use any building available to you as a room. For production, you can adapt: ​​an attic, a garage, a hangar, or an attic.

The lack of natural light is compensated by installing additional lighting. The use of modern lighting systems leads to additional energy costs. It would be advisable to insulate the room; with high-quality insulation, heating costs will be reduced several times.

If you have a plot of land, the best option is to build a greenhouse. The greenhouse structure consists of a frame and material that transmits light. The most affordable coating material is polyethylene film. Disadvantage: short service life.

Glass and polycarbonate are popular and durable materials for covering a greenhouse. Glass transmits sunlight well and is resistant to moisture. The distinctive properties of polycarbonate are high thermal insulation. Low light transmission helps protect plants from burns. The high price of glass and polycarbonate is offset by reduced costs for lighting and heating.

Creation of infrastructure

A very important factor is the layout of the hydroponic system. The equipment is placed in such a way that all necessary conditions for plant growth are met.

The result is influenced by the correct organization of watering. The modern variety of hydroponic systems is divided into two main types:

• drip;
• flow-through.

Drip system - nutrient liquid enters the root region of the plant in the form of drops, with a certain time interval. This hydroponics system is suitable for growing all types of vegetable seedlings.

Flow system - liquid is delivered to the roots of the plant through flow-through distribution tubes. Suitable crops for growing: onions, salad greens, herbs.

There is a third, hybrid system. This method combines drip and flow irrigation. Crops grown: strawberries and strawberries.

When purchasing a hydroponic system, you should consider all the advantages and disadvantages.

Useful video

Profitability calculation

Competent planning is based on taking into account expenses and income. Entrepreneurs who decide to open a production facility for growing crops using hydroponics are interested in the question: “How much money should I invest to get a good profit?” The volume of capital investment depends on the scale of production.

The beginning of production activity in the field of growing agricultural crops, in our opinion, should be an understanding of what to grow, what crop to choose. Of course, this depends on many factors, such as: the geographical location of production, the climatic characteristics of the region, the capacity of the market for consumption of finished products, the seasonality of consumption and the magnitude of production costs.

Suppose your choice is made and you decide to start a business. The next step is choosing a place to install the purchased equipment. The installed equipment can be used as a traditional Russian glass greenhouse, an insulated hangar, an unused production facility, or, if you only have a plot of free land, opt for a greenhouse with a film coating.

Of course, the information given here about the suitability of the premises used for the growing process is somewhat exaggerated, because Everyone knows that plants need sunlight to grow. This problem can, in principle, be solved by installing additional lighting offered by our company, but no artificial lighting replaces natural lighting. Yes, modern technologies allow us to use lighting systems with an emission spectrum close to that of the sun, but we must not forget that using such systems as the main light source can lead to unreasonably high production costs due to increased electricity consumption. Although, it seems to me, none of the directors of the power plant will refuse you cheap electricity, provided that the employees of this station are supplied with fresh vegetable products all year round.

The above paragraph was written to bring you to the idea that, as in any production, this method must always be assessed in terms of price - quality, costs - efficiency. Therefore, energy saving is another one of the main sources of income that you have to explore. The room you choose must have a heating system or, otherwise, have fairly good thermal insulation. The issue of heating in such a room can be solved by installing heat generators provided by our company, operating either on natural gas or liquid fuel. In any case, when choosing a room, you should study its thermal insulation characteristics so as not to heat the street. For example, French experts have calculated that when using glass greenhouses for growing lettuce in Sweden, 32% more energy is consumed than when using greenhouses with double polyethylene covering, i.e. savings in production costs by 32%.

So, the room has been chosen. Now you need to choose a system for growing this crop and draw up a layout of the equipment. The number of plants planted at a time and, accordingly, the size of the harvested crop will depend on the layout of the equipment. It is necessary to place the equipment in such a way that, while maximizing the usable area, the necessary requirements for plant growth from the point of view of agricultural technology are met. In world practice, it is customary to divide the variety of systems into two types: drip and flow, differing in the method of irrigation. In drip systems, the nutrient solution is supplied directly to the base of the plant in the form of drops falling at a certain time interval. Crops such as cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are traditionally grown in such systems. The flow system is based on the principle of flow of a nutrient solution through the channels in which the root system of the plant is located, washing it. Such systems produce high yields of lettuce, parsley, dill and other green crops.

A good example of the application of hybrid systems, i.e. drip irrigation systems is a system for growing strawberries. Such a system allows you to fill not only the usable area, but also the volume of the room due to a constructive solution of several tiers. This is the most advanced technology today. It should be noted that the cost ratio of the drip and flow systems can be estimated as 1:3, the cost of the hybrid system in relation to the drip system can be estimated as 2:1. But do not forget that flow and drip systems are widely used systems, while the hybrid system is only suitable for growing strawberries or seedlings of some crops.

One of your last efforts will be to link together all the systems listed above, i.e. heating, lighting and power system. This connection is established using a climate control system (Control Panel) using a computer and sensors for monitoring basic environmental parameters: temperature, humidity, CO2 content and nutrient solution concentration. Without going into the intricacies of the operation of such systems, we can say that most of them fully fulfill the assigned tasks and fundamentally differ from each other only in cost and number of serviced zones (ability to expand). The last factor is not unimportant when you have several crops growing in one room, separated by partitions, in different climatic conditions on different food systems.

So, the equipment is installed, connected and ready to plant the first seedlings, but take your time, make sure that you have fully studied this crop and know the agricultural techniques for growing it.

Growing strawberries as a business is a promising direction for starting your own business. According to statistics, the demand for this berry is growing by about 30 percent every year. Even investments in seasonal soil cultivation will pay off after the first harvest: strawberries are sold not only for fresh consumption, but also processed into juices, jams, and preserves. The greenhouse option and other methods of year-round ripening are even more cost-effective. During the cold season, the demand for aromatic and healthy berries is much higher.

There are several methods for growing sweet berries. In addition to garden beds and standard greenhouse conditions, strawberries also bear fruit well in a regular barn or even a room where special lamps are installed, as well as in hydroponic installations. When creating a business plan, the first thing to choose is the growing method. It is used as a starting point when calculating start-up capital, selecting equipment and other agrotechnical nuances.

Choosing a method for growing berries is the first step of a business plan

Enterprise registration

Any type of strawberry business has a common point: the design of the enterprise. The easiest way is to become an individual entrepreneur-agrarian. Being in this category will ensure a low tax rate. You will need to pay the single agricultural tax (UST), which is only 6%.

In addition to registration, you need to take care of crop certification. You will need to receive:

• certificate with information about the varietal characteristics of strawberries;
• a document with information about the fertilizers used;
• license permit for trade in berries;
• declaration of conformity to State Standards;
• phytosanitary certificate (mandatory for all agricultural products).

Important! When registering as an individual entrepreneur, the OKVED code is indicated. Here it is - 01.13.21 “Growing fruit and berry crops.”

Equipment purchase

Each type of cultivation will require its own equipment and consumables:

At the same time, special sodium phytolamps will be required for greenhouse and home growing methods. They provide lighting in the blue and red spectrum that is comfortable for strawberries. Additionally, you need to purchase an online cash register to work with clients. You can read more about growing strawberries at home in.

Greenhouse option

Setting up a strawberry greenhouse has many advantages. Among them:

In greenhouse conditions, almost one hundred percent profitability can be achieved. The only disadvantages noted here are the need for independent pollination of the bushes and the consumption of electricity to light and heat the room.

Selection of varieties

Remontant varieties are suitable for greenhouses. In addition to year-round flowering, the chosen option should differ:

Entrepreneurs who are already engaged in the strawberry business note such varietal options as Elsanta, Vizhe, Cambridge, Kama, Glima.

Greenhouse preparation

It is possible to grow strawberries in any structure: be it glass or polycarbonate. In greenhouses, shelving shelves made of metal profiles a meter wide and up to half a meter high are installed. The trays are selected in the shape of a trapezoid, tapering downward.

Compost from light sandy loam and humus is poured into each container at a depth of 10 cm in a ratio of 4:1. It should first be heated over low heat with water to disinfect it.

Drip irrigation tubes are laid on the substrate, taking into account the location of one hole per root.

Then, above the level of the shelving, they place a water tank and connect the pipes to it. If watering is necessary, turn on the tap, and the water flows directly to the roots.

Important! As for lighting, it is necessary to calculate so that one 400 W lamp illuminates one “square” of shelving.

Features of cultivation

If you decide to grow strawberry bushes from seeds, they are planted in containers with well-moistened soil. A small layer of soil is poured on top of the seeds. After the seedlings appear, they are picked.

The microclimate in the greenhouse must be maintained at the level of the following parameters:

• temperature – 22–25°С,
• humidity – 75–80%,
• ventilation – moderate;
• daylight hours – at least 14 hours.

After the seedlings appear or are acquired, the bushes are planted for a “permanent place of residence.” Before this, it is advisable to fertilize the compost with mineral fertilizer. Before planting seedlings, they need to be kept in a cool place for 2-3 days.

How to plant berry bushes and care for seedlings:

If you have strawberry seedlings, grafting the bushes with tendrils onto unoccupied areas of soil in containers will be enough. After 30 days, you will have young strawberry bushes - rosettes.

Important! Harvesting remontant berries is possible only for two years, so strawberry beds will need to be constantly updated.

Costs and income in the greenhouse business

When drawing up a business plan, you should take into account all possible expenses for organizing a business - they will give the start-up capital figure. It is also necessary to plan income taking into account the risks: crop failure, damage to fruits by insects or rodents, “shocks” during transportation. It is advisable to draw up two versions of a business plan: optimistic and pessimistic, in order to provide for all possible problems.

Let’s imagine that we will harvest from a greenhouse with an area of ​​120 square meters. From each square meter it will be possible to collect 5 kilograms of berries once a month. One family can take care of such an area - no need to hire help.

Table 1. Amount of starting capital

№	Expenditure part	Amount in rubles
1	Rent a plot outside the city for a year	60000
2	Greenhouse installation	100000
3	Purchase of equipment	70000
4	Purchase of seedlings and fertilizers	30000
5	Registration of an enterprise, certificates, online purchase	40000
6	Utilities for three months	30000
7	Fare	20000

The total amount required to open a business is 350,000 rubles. With a good harvest, 120 square meters can produce 600 kg of berries per month. During the season, a kilogram of strawberries costs about 100 rubles. Even at this time, your greenhouse will “earn” 60,000 rubles. In winter, the figure can be safely multiplied by four. As a result, in three to five months, depending on the start of work, the costs will be fully recouped. After this, you can expand your business and even hire workers.

Hydroponic method

In greenhouses, not only containers with compost are used to grow strawberries, but also hydroponics devices. That is, plants are nourished not by the juices of the earth, but by special solutions. In this case, the bushes receive a maximum of valuable elements, they do not need to be watered, and they are not susceptible to diseases and pests. The advantages of hydroponics also include environmental friendliness and non-traumatic transplantation. Almost any remontant varieties are suitable for cultivation.

But the technique also has disadvantages. This is the high cost of installations and high electricity costs.

Here, energy is used not only for lighting, but also for pumping oxygen and supplying nutrients. If the first problem can be solved by assembling the equipment yourself, then saving on electricity is more difficult. Therefore, hydroponics is used in greenhouses with small areas. For a premises of 50 square meters you will need at least 900,000 rubles of starting capital. But this method allows you to collect up to 45 kilos of berries per square, which, even with high utility costs, increases profitability by at least three times. If the harvest is rich, you can recoup the costs in 1–2 months.

Video - Hydroponics for strawberries

Homemade strawberries

To create a berry plantation, a greenhouse is not necessary. This crop can be grown in any room, even in an empty room. True, lighting there will still have to be equipped with special lamps.

Trukar method

It involves growing berries in plastic tubes equipped with a kind of pockets. They are placed vertically, and a berry bush is planted in each pocket. The soil mixture used is the same as in a conventional greenhouse, as well as the varieties of berries.

Important! The advantage of the technique is that it saves space and allows you to install pipes anywhere, including in greenhouse conditions.

One trukhar requires only half a square, 90 bushes fit there. In two to three months you can collect at least 10 kilos of berries from them. A fifty-meter room will house 100 such structures. The result is a ton of strawberries. In the winter season, revenue will be about 400,000 rubles. And the starting capital will not exceed 100,000 rubles, including utilities and expenses for registering an enterprise

Video - Strawberries on trucks

Dutch technique

This method of setting up a strawberry plantation may also be of interest to novice agribusinessmen. It makes it possible to save on start-up capital: initial costs are low. Strawberries are grown in any convenient room - a barn, garage, greenhouse. Instead of containers, polyethylene bags are used, which are filled with compost. Special tubes are connected to such “pots” through which nutritious moisture will be supplied.

Only certain varieties are suitable for this technique. These are “Elsanta”, “Maria”, “Albion”, “Darselect”, “Sonata”, “Tristar”, “Polka”, “Gloom”.

How to plant berries using the Dutch method:

1. Fill the bags with soil mixture, after adding fertilizing. Make holes in them with a diameter of 7 cm at a distance of 25 cm in four rows.

   

2. Hang the structures on supports so that there are two bags per “square” of the room. Or place them on multi-tiered racks.

   

3. Connect three irrigation pipes to each structure so that they pass through the ground at a distance of 0.5 m from each other.

   

4. When the strawberries bloom, they need to be pollinated by hand with a soft brush or simply by turning on a fan.

   

As a result, it turns out that 50 or more bushes bear fruit per square meter. The cost of arranging such an area will not exceed 500 rubles, and up to 25 kg of harvest can be harvested from it. As a result, 50 square meters of strawberries will bring approximately 500,000 rubles out of season. And you will have to invest only 25,000 rubles in the arrangement of the plantation. You will have to spend the same amount on phytolamps. Plus, don’t forget about the costs of registering a business.

Growing in open ground

Table 2. Advantages and disadvantages of growing strawberries in open ground

For growing in garden beds, it is preferable to choose large-fruited varieties, for example, “Gigantella”, “Elizabeth II”, “Honeya”. They must be suitable for the climate of the area where the garden plot is located. It is better to plant several varieties at once so that they ripen at different times.

On the ridges, the crop is planted in rows with a distance of 40 cm. The soil is covered with “breathable” agrofibre, which retains the required soil moisture and protects from direct rays of the sun.

In a good summer, about 30 kg of berries are harvested from one square meter. At a cost of 100 rubles per kilo, you can get 3,000 rubles per square meter, 30,000 per hundred square meters. Moreover, if you have your own plot, there are practically no expenses, a maximum of three thousand for the simplest drip device and agrofibre. You can also save on registering an enterprise if you conduct seasonal sales from your personal plot. In this case, you do not yet need to register as an entrepreneur and pay taxes.

At first glance, it seems that everyone loves strawberries and organizing such a business is a great idea. And this is true, because what can you build a profitable business on if not food. But, before doing any business, you need to find out all its features - pros, cons and known problems (as well as, of course, ways to solve them).

Perhaps you should start your journey at home (for example, in bags using the Dutch method) - and if the room is warm, you will also receive fruits all year round. Of course, growing strawberries at home will not be a million-dollar business, but rather an additional income or hobby. But you can try different methods, varieties, and then move on to the greenhouse.

Why do you need a strawberry business?

Usually the strawberry picking season is in early summer - competition is strong and it is difficult to enter the market. During the rest of the year, if you find garden strawberries anywhere, they cost fabulous money.

So why not try to harness your entrepreneurial flair and start growing strawberries in a greenhouse all year round? This is such a high profitability! But don't think it will be easy! Strawberries are a proud berry, and they need a lot of attention. And for growing all year round, you will need to create special conditions - but everything is possible if you pay attention to the issue (and not just read forums, blogs, social networks and watch videos about business ideas and motivation on the Internet).

Learn from the advice there, but choose only useful information. But information without practice is nothing!

Advantages and disadvantages of growing in a greenhouse

If you grow strawberries in a greenhouse all year round, you can get the following competitive advantages:

• year-round fruitfulness of strawberries;
• high demand in the off-season;
• a large number of wholesale buyers (remember winter and supermarkets?);
• When grown in open ground, the likelihood of the crop rotting/shrinking/deteriorating is higher than in a hydroponic greenhouse.
• extremely high profitability – payback in one season.

However, there are also difficulties and disadvantages:

• the need for artificial pollination of strawberries;
• 7-8 times more investment compared to growing in open ground not all year round.
• “broiler” increase in daylight hours is a big expense.
• strawberries will be slightly different from those grown in the village.

Your experience in working with soil in general and berries in particular is also very important. If your experience is minimal, but you still want to do everything yourself, it’s better to look for information, watch a video on YouTube, look through our resource or any other forum - collect information. You shouldn't step on the old rusty rake of other people's mistakes, right?

Primary costs

Buying seedlings

Strawberries are plants that reproduce by “whiskers” - healthy, beautiful and fertile plants from “whiskers” of the 1st and 2nd orders are suitable for your seedlings. When choosing, you should pay attention to the development and tortuosity of the root system of the sprout. An important point is the choice of the variety(s) you intend to grow. The best varieties are Glima, Cambridge, Elsanta, Volya, Kama, Red Capulet, Vigee or anything else.

Carefully study the information about these (or others that you have chosen) varieties, read forums, blogs, ask friends who grow strawberries in their country house or village. It may even be worth doing a little market research - buying different varieties of strawberries and asking different people you know which ones they like best - this way you will get the best and adequate ratios of one variety to another for your greenhouse.

Greenhouse construction

If you are going to grow strawberries in a greenhouse all year round, the kind you have probably seen many times in the countryside - it has a frame covered with plastic film - this is one of the cheapest options. Such greenhouses are scattered in abundance throughout the land and are used not only for strawberries, but also for many other plants. However, remember that the film is a poor thermal insulator - if it freezes, the crop may suffer.

There is also an option to make a glass greenhouse - this option is more expensive, but it can be heated.

There are also more modern greenhouses made from polycarbonate materials - the most expensive of greenhouses, but they last longer, are more reliable and have many other comparative advantages.

When starting a business, you don’t have to take into account the costs of workers - you can work independently, but carefully evaluate your own free time and qualifications.

Dutch growing method

It will help you save on growing strawberries during the off-season, i.e. in winter. The Dutch method can be applied even at home, and it will also generate significant income. This is a way to grow strawberries “in bags”. Yes, yes, don’t laugh, it’s true - strawberries are grown “in bags” - in this situation, the bag acts as a mini-greenhouse and, as experience shows, this is an effective method.

You will need large bags that are filled with perlite and peat moss. Make holes in them in a checkerboard pattern - like a checkered sheet, with a diameter of 70-80 mm. Also, the bags must have an irrigation system.

To better understand the system, you should watch a video on the Internet describing Dutch greenhouses and read a place for delayed communication on the Internet - the forum. There are a lot of videos on the Internet about growing strawberries and wild strawberries in hydroponics - also a worthy option, much cheaper compared to growing in open ground.

However, not every variety of strawberry can be grown in hydroponics - find out the characteristics of the chosen variety.

Strawberry care

At first, your seedlings can be kept almost at home, but not on an open balcony, of course. Keep the seedlings in peat soil (available at garden stores). If you take soil from the garden or in the nearest village, you should fertilize it additionally - watch for the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Your young seedlings need to be watered with clean warm water right to the roots, while avoiding drops of water getting on the leaves and berries. It may be worth looking towards drip irrigation. Think about the temperature in your greenhouse, as it is cold outside for strawberries. It is worth maintaining the temperature around 19 degrees.

Don't forget about lighting, pollination and regular fertilizer additions.

Product marketing problems

In order for your business to generate maximum income, you need to apply the best practices from the network (video) and do not hesitate to ask advice from experts - after all, only the wise learn from the mistakes of others, without making their own - do not be afraid to go to the forum and ask someone who has already grew strawberries at home, whether in bags, in hydroponics, or just at your grandmother’s in the village - you will not lose anything, but you can save money (sometimes significant) on the mistakes of others - which will only increase the profitability of your business.

So, if we talk about sales, then people running blogs and forums on the strawberry business advise following three different paths:

• Winter - sales through large stores.
• Summer - sale at the market (hire a seller).
• All year round - sale of berries to processors (strawberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, etc. - their interest is usually wide and constant).

The best sellers and businessmen will tell you that business security lies in diversification - so try to expand the circle of your clients so as not to lose income due to a broken contract or any other force majeure circumstances. Remember that your profit is in growing strawberries all year round, continuously, because your income in summer will be less than in winter, this is normal. Competition is your engine in winter, but also your brake in summer - after all, strawberries are grown in every village (sometimes even in a greenhouse, but quite rarely).

Profitability + Video

Profitability is a general economic term that characterizes the relationship between profit and cost (production costs) of products. The essence of the profitability of growing strawberries in a greenhouse (in hydroponics, soil or “bags” - it doesn’t matter) is to work all year round.

If we take into account all prices, including the purchase of seedlings in the nearest village, where the best (or almost the best) prices, rent, labor costs, taxes, fertilizers and maintenance - the average cost per 1 kg was 150 cents in 2012 (now about twice as much). If you grow in hydroponics, the costs are lower than if you grow in open ground. Accordingly, if you grow in bags using the Dutch method, the costs are lower than in hydroponics and open soil.

Take into account all costs when calculating profitability, be sure to take into account the error of calculations - what if you didn’t take something into account, what if everything goes a little differently.