Is the onion business profitable? Green onion growing business. Planting and care measures

The business is attractive due to the plant’s fertility, modest start-up investments, and great demand all year round. If you master all the intricacies of growing green onions and the features of their marketing, you can build a profitable business on this.

How to grow green onions

If your plan includes growing green onions industrial scale, be prepared to do this all year round. IN summer period it is cultivated in the fields, and in winter in a heated greenhouse. Please note that it is expensive to install and maintain a greenhouse yourself. It’s easier to rent specially equipped premises from farms and factories, or equip it yourself. Profitability in winter is about 30%, since a lot of money is spent on heating in the greenhouse and rent. In summer it reaches 50%. Although in practice it is sometimes possible to reach 200%.

Grow green onions At home it is possible only for small part-time work. If you are planning to organize a separate business, you need to purchase or rent a plot of approximately 25-30 acres. Growing green onions begins by planting the seeds after the last frost. It is better to take seeds from Japan or Holland. The bulbs are planted in a greenhouse before winter.

Whatever method you choose, you need to take care of preparing the beds and fertilizing them. For a greenhouse you will need loose soil and superphosphate at the rate of 30 g per 1 square meter. m. Before planting, onion seeds must first be soaked. Onions are planted in a greenhouse or in open ground in ribbons at a distance of approximately 5 cm from each other and between rows. Green onions require a lot of light, frequent watering and loosening of the soil. This work plan must be carried out regularly and extremely carefully.

If you decide to grow green onions at home, the bulbs should be soaked overnight in warm water and then planted in boxes about 10 cm high. To increase the growth rate of the green plant, it should be watered with warm water not lower than 20 ° C, and the air temperature should be maintained at approximately 18-22°C.

The plant reaches marketability in about 20 days. But when using aeroponics technology, this time can be reduced. This system helps eliminate the disposal of substrates and other waste during cultivation, but the savings are noticeable only in large areas of the greenhouse. The cost of such a system is 1-4 thousand rubles. per square meter. The payback period plan is 2-3 years.

What to grow green goods for sale from

It doesn’t matter where you decide to start producing green goods - in a field, a greenhouse or at home - you can do this in three ways: growing from seeds, small bulbs (sets) or large ones. The fastest way to get results from a green business is from seeding, if before planting it was carefully sorted, processed and properly cared for. The main problem in growing this plant is diseases and premature bolting. Therefore, the growth site must be well ventilated and illuminated. In addition, the cost plan must include the purchase of chemicals for treating plants. Without them in artificial conditions Growing greens will become unprofitable - most of the crop will simply die.

Growing from seeds requires three times less planting material, four times less area. True, for better productivity, seedlings must be thinned out during growth, which increases the losses of the green business. Moreover, not every seed will germinate. But this type of green plant practically does not shoot, ripens quickly and does not rot for a long time, which makes it easier to store, allowing you to earn extra money from the bulbs.

Expenditure part of green business

Fixed funds will be spent on planting material, care, fertilizers, and transport. This will be about 30% of the costs. Entry into a business costs about 150 thousand rubles, if you have own plot with water supply installed on it. If you plan to grow for sale in large quantities, you should worry about green product certification.

It is best to organize a business in the fall. You must first conduct a market assessment to get an idea of the volume of demand. Based on these data, determine a plan for growing a green plant. If it is difficult to determine how much of a product can be sold, it is better to grow less than the expected sales volume. You will always have time to increase production.

From 10 acres of land, the production of this green product will bring 30-90 thousand rubles per month. Additional cultivation of other popular green raw materials will help increase the sale of feathers:

dill;
parsley;
basilica;
arugula;
mint;
salad;
cilantro.

It is difficult to say how much money will be spent on opening a business. It all depends on the type and scale of cultivation. If your plan involves cultivating a product in a greenhouse, a significant amount will be spent on its arrangement. You can reduce costs if you cover it not with glass, but with polycarbonate. This material better maintains the desired temperature in the greenhouse in winter.

The plan for organizing a large business must include the purchase or rental of premises or fields. Many entrepreneurs who decide to cultivate vegetables in a greenhouse rent industrial premises in factories. Of these, approximately half are designated for harvest, and the rest for storage and household premises. The following are installed in this area:

instantaneous water heaters;
lifts;
furnaces for heating water;
ultraviolet lamps and fluorescent lamps.

For a month from 70 sq. m. you can remove an average of 400 kilograms of feathers. Depending on the season, the cost of a kilogram of greens will be 10-160 rubles.

Sales and risks

Sales depend on production volumes. It can be organized in two ways: through wholesalers or directly at retail - shops, supermarkets, stalls, markets, establishments Catering etc. The packaging of the product also depends on the type of sales. If this is retail sales, you should think about special packaging and appropriate equipment. In summer, wholesalers buy goods for 30-50 rubles. per kilogram, in winter this figure rises to 100. Sales of goods by medium-sized enterprises are approximately 1.5 kg of goods per month.

The main risks come from the floating price of goods. Over the course of a year, it rises and falls significantly. In addition, feathers are a perishable commodity. Therefore, if you do not have a sales plan drawn up in advance, you can lose a lot of money.

30.11.2017 Sofia Romkina

The idea of organizing a business on green onions is not new and is based on objective prerequisites: consumer demand and physiological characteristics of the plant.

Demand stimulates supply

In the autumn-spring period, when there is an acute shortage of vitamins in the body, the “feather” of green onions is perhaps the most affordable product, both in price and nutritional value, because 100 g of “feather” covers a person’s daily need for ascorbic acid , since this amount contains 85 mg of vitamin C (the body requires 50 mg).

Read also:

In addition to vitamins, onion greens contain a large number of biologically active substances (phytoncides, enzymes, etc.) that have a positive effect on the body.

Waste turns into income!

Often, during storage, onions begin to sprout, and the quality of the product decreases sharply. Therefore, pragmatic owners invented an ingenious way of turning worthless products into a source of good income.

Worth knowing: How to build your own?

Components of success

For the production of green onions to become a profitable business, it is necessary to thoroughly know all the technological nuances.

It is naive to believe that a huge bulb will give more “feather” when forced. Bulbs weighing 40-50 g (with a diameter of more than 4-6 cm) are no longer suitable for forcing, of course, unless we are talking about discarded ones that begin to germinate during storage. The highest “feather” yield is produced by planting material weighing from 25 to 40 g (diameter 3-4 cm).

The chosen growing technology is of no small importance, as well as knowledge special techniques, stimulating the speedy receipt of marketable products.

Green onions can be grown in the field or in greenhouses.

In the agricultural technology of green onions, there are two methods of planting. With the bridge pattern, the bulbs are planted close to each other. The half-bridge scheme provides for sparse planting, with a distance between the bulbs of 1-2 cm.
Growing green onions for sale in large quantities requires appropriate investment. Even if you purchase planting material from wholesale suppliers or directly from the manufacturer, on average it will cost from 5 to 10 rubles. per kilogram, depending on the batch size. To minimize costs, it is advisable to grow planting material yourself from biological seeds - “chernushka”.

Profitability issues

It is possible to predict the prospects of any type of business only with a thorough analysis of expected expenses. Forcing onions in open ground and growing onions in a greenhouse in winter differ in terms of investment. The profitability of the “greenhouse option” is estimated at approximately 30%, and the profitability of “field” farming reaches 50% or more.

The profitability of forcing in open ground is much higher than greenhouse production, since in the latter case additional costs for heating and providing light conditions are inevitable. On the other hand, green onions increase in price around the holidays.
Possible financial risks should not be discounted: a sharp decrease in the purchase price, the quality of the seed, etc.

Economic justification

Growing onions as a business has its own economic justification, repeatedly confirmed in practice. To assess profitability, it is quite appropriate to take into account the costs of growing onions in protected soil conditions, as the most expensive.

Production area

To grow green onions, you will need an area of at least 1 hundred square meters (100 m3), plus about 30 m3 for organizing storage. From this area you can get 300-600 kg of green onions in 1 month.

Continuing our topic about business in rural areas, we decided to look at growing onions as a business. It turned out that you can earn a decent amount of money from this simple activity. So, if you decide to make money from your own business, we offer you the option of growing onion crops.

Growing onions as a business: what to grow and how?

For the purpose of sale, you can grow different onions: bulb or feather. And each of these species has its own characteristics in cultivation, sale, and circulation. All this affects the business, its expenses and income. To show a clear example with specific numbers, we took the most common and unpretentious onion as the basis for our article - onions.
Onions are grown in warm conditions. It will take about 4 months for it to fully mature. During this time, young feathers can be cut off and sold, and after the expiration of the period, the root crops themselves can be put up for sale.

It is easier to grow onions from purchased sets - these are already formed young onions, which after 1 week will already send out the first shoots to the surface. The average purchase price of onion sets is 100 rubles per 1 kg. For such a business you will need at least 200 kg, it will cost 20,000 rubles.

What else is needed to grow onions?

Of course, you will need land. Onions should be planted at the rate of 200 grams of sets per 1 m2. That is, for our 200 kg we will need 1000 m2, or 10 acres of land.
In a business like growing onions, in addition to the “embryos” themselves, fertilizers will be required. The onion crop itself is unpretentious, but you can’t do without fertilizers either. Here's what we need:
Superphosphate (30g per m2)
Potassium chloride (17g per m2)
Nitrogen fertilizers (8g per m2)
Phosphorus fertilizer (10g per m2)
Potash fertilizers (10g per m2)
On average, for each m2 the price of all the above fertilizers together will be about 15 rubles. And to fertilize the entire plot of 1000 m2 - 15,000 rubles.

Let's summarize all costs

Considering the information above, to grow onions on 10 acres of land we will need:
Onion sets, 200 kg – 20,000 rubles.
Fertilizers – 15,000 rubles
Total: 35,000 rubles

Profit from the sale of onions

From planted sets, full-fledged onions grow in 4 months on average. The yield is about 7 kg per m2, that is, from ten acres after 4 months we will collect 7 tons. The average selling price of onions is 20 rubles per 1 kg. It turns out that selling 7 tons at retail price will bring us an income of 140,000 rubles.
Don’t forget about a secondary method of making a profit – selling green onions. In our case, in 4 months you can get 0.5 kg of greenery from 1 m2, and 500 kg from the entire plot. At a price of 150 rubles per 1 kg, you can get 75,000 rubles from the entire green harvest.

We get that the income for 4 months from 10 acres is 215,000 rubles, and the net profit is 190,000 rubles.
It is much easier for residents of warmer regions to start such a business, but those living in the middle zone should not despair. By increasing the volumes in the scheme we have presented, you can ensure yourself a profit in one summer that will last for the whole year.

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Green onions are a very healthy type of green that is an integral part of the diet of many families. It is used to prepare salads, soups, pizza and more. There is constant demand for this product. Firstly, it is worth distinguishing between different approaches to making money on green onions. So let’s say, if you decide to grow these greens at home, then you shouldn’t count on big profits from small volumes.

If we talk about this direction, specifically as a business, then you will need to summer season plant onions in open ground, at least 10 hundredths of the garden, and in winter you will need to equip insulated greenhouses. A serious approach requires certain financial investments. Starting from the purchase of planting material, fertilizers, equipment for irrigation systems and, if necessary, heating and lighting, as well as transportation costs, to the hiring of workers to care for onions and harvest. In this article we will try to consider the main points of the green onion business and indicate both the pros and cons in this line of business.

Technologies for growing green onions

Many farmers who work in this direction will tell you that there are two main ways to grow these greens: from seeds and from bulbs. Both of these methods have both pros and cons, which we will talk about.

Use of seeds

With this approach, the entrepreneur purchases the seeds of the required onion variety and plants them in a nursery, this can be a small greenhouse. Buying seeds more cheap option start, since bulbs are more expensive, but at the same time there is more hassle with caring for plants. Firstly, if you use seeds, the harvest time increases significantly, and due to climate instability, the chances of losing the harvest increase. Secondly, when the plants grow, the onion bushes need to be thinned out, and not all the seeds come off. On the other hand, you have big choice different varieties of seeds at a low price, and this is a definite plus for a beginner. The best seeds are considered to be Dutch and Japanese onion varieties. The average cost of such planting material is about $2 - $4 per 1 kg.

From bulbs

If you plant ready-made bulbs, you will be able to short term get a harvest. Plus, the loss of the crop itself is reduced due to the higher resistance of plants to both weather conditions and various diseases. But at the same time, if you purchase seed in the form of bulbs, then you will definitely need to invest more money into your business.

Before planting, the bulbs undergo special treatment to protect them from diseases and pests.

Features of growing onions

In order to grow onions specifically for sale, you will need to purchase a special variety of this greenery for your business. Andreika, Afonya, Slime Onion, Leader, Broadleaf, Green, Dwarf, Belarusian. Typically, such onions are sold in large volumes at the beginning of spring, when there is great demand and people buy them for making salads. It is popular due to its vitamin composition.

Now let's discuss a little in what conditions it is most profitable to grow green onions and what in each individual case you will need to buy or equip for this.

In the greenhouse

Growing and producing green onions in a greenhouse is one of the year-round options for making a profit in this direction. The greenhouse equipment itself costs money. They are usually made of glass or polycarbonate. In this case, you need to immediately install a heating, watering and lighting system. Typically, such greenhouses are equipped with a drip irrigation system and daylight lighting fixtures are used. So, in the absence of light rays, you will not get the desired harvest. If you live in a very cold climate, then building greenhouses for the winter season is not very profitable, since the payment utilities for light and heating reduce the profitability of the business to 10% - 15%, and with such labor costs and expenses this becomes unprofitable for the entrepreneur. Bulbs are mainly planted in greenhouses; this approach can reduce the growing season by up to 3 times. The harvest is obtained with good taste and presentation.

Loose fertile soil is used as soil in greenhouses; it is prepared with fertilizers, both manure and potassium and phosphate additives. Constant watering and connection of lighting if necessary are required.

Also, with a greenhouse approach to growing green onions, you can implement aeroponics technology, which will help make your green onion business even more effective in winter. The essence of this method is as follows: it helps to reduce the ripening period of this greenery from 21 days by almost half, but it also requires financial investments. So the cost of launching this technology ranges from $15 to $65 per 1 sq.m. in the greenhouse. The payback of this approach is on average about 3 years, but it is more profitable for large greenhouse farms, and for small-scale production its use will not be rational. If, for example, in hydroponics water is used as a substrate, then in aeroponics the plants are fixed on special stands (the roots are in the air), and their roots are regularly treated with an aerosol saturated with useful substances necessary for specific greens. This is a technology without soil, and its approach eliminates all soil-related onion diseases and accelerates the ripening of the crop.

As you can see, it is quite possible to start growing green onions in winter, but at the same time you need to correctly calculate costs and profits so as not to work at zero or in the minus.

In the open ground

The second option is the most widespread, as it does not require huge investments. Total costs for an area of 100 sq.m. will be about $1000 - $1500. This is for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers and provision of an irrigation system.

In the fall, in the area that you plan to plant with onions, you will need to apply organic fertilizers in the form of manure, and in early spring you will need to add other fertilizers and feeds.

The planting technology is as follows: the greens are planted at a distance of 1.5 - 2 cm from each other in the bed, and the distance between the rows is usually about 5 - 7 cm. Before planting the seeds, they are usually soaked in water. After the onions rise, you will need to weed, removing weeds, and break through the green bushes themselves, leaving the strongest feathers. Crop losses when grown in open ground range from 20% to 30%; they are mainly associated with diseases and pests, as well as drought. Watering must be provided on an ongoing basis, and surface loosening of the soil must also be carried out. For onions, the ideal temperature for growth is 20 - 25 degrees. It is advisable to warm the water for irrigation in the sun to 18 - 20 degrees.

At home

This is the most not suitable look earnings, since volumes in this format are very limited. Many businessmen grow onions not only on window sills in trays, but also use space for this in the basement, garage or apartment, for example in storage rooms, but in such cases it is necessary to provide appropriate temperature regime, and constant lighting and watering. You won’t earn a lot of money growing green onions at home, but it’s quite possible to start such a business as an additional income, especially if you yourself can sell the products at a retail price on the market or to friends. Rather, this method is more suitable for producing greens for oneself rather than for sale.

In the sawdust

The technology for growing onions on sawdust is as follows. Take boxes, either plastic or wooden, the bottom of which is covered with a backing, this can be an ordinary film. Next, a 3–4 cm layer of sawdust is laid out on it and moistened generously with warm water.

For 2 - 5 days, the box with onions on sawdust should be kept in a cool room, if it is an apartment or a house, then you can put it on the floor, this is done so that the plant’s horse system is formed.

In a bottle

The technology of growing onions in a bottle is based precisely on saving space for planting. Typically, a 5-liter bottle is used for this, in which round holes are cut for the bulbs. Next, gradually filling in the substrate for seedlings, which can be bought at any agricultural store, we soak the soil and gradually insert the bulbs to the top of the bottle into all the holes. We place the bulbs close to each other on top of the cut bottle. Don't forget to water the soil. This method has a good aesthetic appearance, and may well be suitable for an apartment or private house in winter.

In a package without soil

This method is related to the sawdust fudge method, but has its own characteristics. So, the bag should be tight; food bags and whole ones are perfect. A small amount of sawdust or toilet paper is placed in it and moistened generously. Next, take the onion, cut it off from the top and plant it on sawdust close to each other. After which the bag is inflated and tied with an elastic band or cord. It is placed in a dark, cool space for several days, during which time the root system begins to form, and then exposed to sunlight, possibly on a windowsill.

We have analyzed various methods and technologies for growing green onions for sale; it is up to you to decide which one to use for your business.

Profitability and sales markets

When drawing up a business plan, you will need to primarily focus on sales markets - this is the most important point in this business. So, retail sales this is good, but if you work with large volumes, then you cannot do without finding wholesale buyers. Therefore, you need to look for clients among the owners of grocery stores and shops, or buyers of greens. Onions are a quickly perishable product, so the issue of its sale must be resolved in advance. If we talk about profitability, then summer time it ranges from 50% to 80%, and in winter due to high heating costs it does not exceed 30%.

On an area of about 70 sq.m. you can grow about 400 kg of onion feathers, with the cost of 1 kg of production from $0.5 to $3, depending on the season and technology.

Most high price for green onions from April to June. Then it goes down. Bulk prices for onions in the summer about $0.8 - $1, and in winter the price rises to $1.6 - $2 per 1 kg.

On average, small entrepreneurs sell about 1,500 kg of onions per month.

In the future, the assortment can be expanded with other herbs: dill, parsley, lettuce, etc.

Conclusions. Growing green onions as a business is a very profitable activity; by mastering the technology and finding wholesale buyers, you can make a good profit.

Natural products in cooking are always in high demand if they are grown in ecological zones without the use of various chemicals. And fresh greens have this advantage, which consumers want to have at their table. Therefore, onion business can be considered profitable entrepreneurial activity with quick payback.

The procedure for growing onions for sale guarantees a high percentage of returns to the businessman. This is due to the demand for products in any season, the rapid and unpretentious growth of the crop, as well as minimal investments in the idea itself. By the way, step by step business Read the plan for growing greens for sale.

There are several approaches to growing onions:

when using seeds;
from ready-made bulbs.

Conditions for growing are not the least important, and among them it is worth highlighting:

in open ground;
on sawdust;
in a bottle;
in bags without the use of soil.

Each method has its own technological process and features. And to avoid pitfalls, a well-thought-out business plan will become the basis for achieving your goals and objectives.

How do you like this business idea?

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To obtain quality products, you should purchase fruit-bearing varieties. Varieties such as Shirokolistny, Belorussky, Leader, Green, and Zhemchuzhny are suitable for growing onions and their rapid growth. The vitamin composition of greens is especially high in the spring season, so it is in demand among consumers for preparing salads after winter vitamin deficiency.

Before planting bulbs in a greenhouse, all conditions must be prepared for their favorable growth, namely:

equipped area with built-in heating, lighting and drip irrigation systems;
fertile soil;
fertilizers;
phosphate and potassium additives.

In open ground, planting onions is more suitable for mass production. The costs of the chosen method will only be for the purchase of seeds, provision of watering and purchase of fertilizers for the soil. The technology for planting a bow on a feather is simple. To do this, you need to plant the seeds at the same distance from each other (about 5 cm) and water the seedlings in a timely manner. Weeds must be removed by weeding, while breaking through the bushes.

Please note: if you grow onions for greens outdoors, expect some percentage of yield loss. The risk is associated with diseases, pests and untimely watering, and therefore accounts for about 20% of the entire planting area.

Growing onions

Purchase or rental of a land plot of about 20 acres - 100,000 rubles.
Construction or purchase of a greenhouse - 600,000 rubles.
Other expenses (communications, registration of documents, purchase of seeds and fertilizers) - 300,000 rubles.

To start an onion business, there is a method of obtaining investment:

Bank loan at interest for organizing agriculture.
Support farm according to the Russian Federation program, according to the specified amount of the applicant. As a rule, you can count on subsidies of up to 1.5 million rubles.
Attracting a private investor to your business. The result of this idea is the compiled business plan.

Income from product sales

As for the amount of profit from product sales, it is worth considering:

price for 1 kilogram of green onions - 100 rubles;
selling 10 tons of greens will bring your businessman revenue of about 1 million rubles;
fixed costs will entail 500,000 rubles.

Total: income from the sale is equal to half the amount - 500,000 rubles.

Please note: green onions are in great demand in the spring season, and onions are in great demand all year round. Greenhouse products are also in great demand in late summer and early autumn.

This suggests that many people at home are busy harvesting tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers during the conservation period. Experienced farmers are looking forward to this season, when the cost of greens reaches 150 rubles per kilogram.

Business registration

You can become an entrepreneur with a full set of documents in the following categories:

Peasant farm (farm);
Individual entrepreneur (individual activity);
LLC (limited liability company).

Growing greens: profitable or not?

When engaging in such a business at the initial stage, you should not invest huge amounts of money and expect instant returns. Each idea has its own payback period, so only a well-established mechanism will make it possible to receive the expected profit in a season or a year.

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