Cucumber business: profitability and production technology. Business plan for growing cucumbers
- Why greenhouse cucumbers
- Personal subsidiary plot
- Step-by-step opening plan
- What is OKVED for business?
- Similar business ideas:
Agricultural products are always in great demand, and fresh cucumbers are no exception. When choosing fresh or canned tomatoes or cucumbers in a supermarket or market, the consumer focuses not only on their appearance, but also on the manufacturer, giving preference to domestic products. Therefore, a business growing cucumbers in a greenhouse will provide you with a stable income all year round.
Why greenhouse cucumbers
The idea of growing cucumbers in greenhouses cannot be called new, and, at first glance, it can be said that it has no prospects. But it is precisely the fact that the domestic market for agricultural products is experiencing difficult times that provides favorable conditions for small and beginning entrepreneurs to conduct this type of activity.
- Firstly, the largest greenhouse farms are forced to suspend their activities due to a lack of funds necessary to modernize old greenhouse complexes.
- Secondly, fresh and organic cucumbers will always be in demand, unlike imported ones.
- Thirdly, anyone can organize a small, profitable greenhouse business. To do this, you do not need to be the owner of large plots of land. In any rural settlement, you can inexpensively rent a small plot of land for the construction of greenhouses.
Choice of legal form
Personal subsidiary plot
For beginning entrepreneurs of this type of activity, the best option for choosing an organizational and legal form is a personal subsidiary plot (LPH). Owners of private household plots are completely exempt from paying taxes. A significant advantage is that any products sold that were produced during the management of private household plots are not considered entrepreneurial activity. That is, by selling your cucumbers through a chain of stores, you will not need to collect permits, certificates, etc. You will only need to obtain a certificate from the local government about the origin of the products you are selling and enter into a regular sales contract. To obtain the status of owner of a private household plot, you need to be the owner or rent a plot of land no more than 2 hectares.
Individual entrepreneurship
If you are planning to create a large retail distribution network, then we will be talking about a fairly impressive volume of agricultural products. In this case, the optimal solution would be to register an individual business. As mentioned above, the Russian consumer prefers domestically produced products, and to confirm their origin they need a certificate, declaration of conformity and a sticker on the packaging. Such documents are issued only to legal entities or individual entrepreneurs.
Peasant farming
This type of organizational and legal form is ideal for running a partnership business. This is a more simplified version of a limited liability partnership. All decisions made by the owners of peasant farms have legal force.
What equipment is best to choose for greenhouses
Many vegetable growers believe that greenhouse farming is a huge greenhouse complex, the construction of which costs millions. Most often, this circumstance becomes a deterrent for budding entrepreneurs. In fact, lightweight metal structures made from durable carbonate for greenhouses are quite affordable. Thanks to this, novice businessmen, relying on their capabilities, can create their own greenhouse farm in a fairly short period of time.
How to achieve high yields
Achieving high yields is actually not difficult at all. The whole secret lies in the use of a three-rotation technique for growing cucumbers, where one harvest occurs in the summer, and two harvests in the spring-winter-autumn months. The key point of this business idea lies precisely in the summer harvest. It is during this period that you can do without heating and lighting. Consequently, the cost of production will be much lower. The income received from this harvest will 100% cover future expenses in the autumn-winter period.
Establishing product sales channels
The main distribution channels include:
- Grocery stores;
- Vegetable markets;
- Wholesale bases;
- Intermediaries between grocery stores and wholesale centers;
- Direct sales from the place of production.
Each of the listed distribution channels has a number of advantages and disadvantages regarding the final cost, volumes sold, etc. It is recommended to establish a stable sales network in advance in order to avoid losses from overproduction in the future.
How much money do you need to invest to create a greenhouse?
Greenhouse farming, like any other business, requires capital investment. The purchase of greenhouses, the necessary equipment, as well as their installation on a plot of land with a total area of at least 500 m² will require approximately one and a half million rubles.
Initial investment:
- Components for the construction of greenhouses - 650,000 rubles;
- Equipment for heating the soil - 120,000 rubles;
- Heating boilers - 70,000 rubles;
- Automatic watering system - 30,000 rubles;
- LED lamps - 550,000 rubles;
- Transport costs - 50,000 rubles;
- Other expenses (seeds, fertilizer, electrical wiring, pipes) - 150,000 rubles.
Total - 1,620,000 rubles.
Annual expenses:
- Fuel - 150,000 rubles;
- Purchase of seeds - 17,000 rubles;
- Payment for electricity - 16,000 rubles;
- Fertilizer - 20,000 rubles.
Total - 203,000 rubles.
How much can you earn from greenhouse farming?
Year-round cultivation of cucumbers on a plot of land with a total area of 500 m² will yield a harvest of up to 37 tons of fresh cucumbers. The average selling price per 1 kilogram is 60 rubles. Thus, the annual income from sales will be 2,220,000 rubles.
2,220,000 (annual sales income) - 203,000 (annual expenses) = 2,017,000 rubles - net annual profit.
Step-by-step opening plan
The structure and stages of greenhouse cucumber production look like this:
- Selecting a site for a greenhouse.
- Purchase of planting material.
- Soil preparation.
- Growing technology.
- Equipment, transportation.
- Marketing plan for vegetable products.
- Risks.
What is OKVED for business?
The production of greenhouse cucumbers, as a business, requires code 01 for registration, which is responsible for crop production, as well as livestock production. Its subclause 01.1 corresponds to the cultivation of annual crops, namely vegetables, root crops, melons, etc. - 01.13.
What documents are needed to open
If you are going to farm, then state registration of peasant farms is required, i.e. peasant farming. But this is the case when there is extensive work and large areas of land under agricultural crops (more than 1 hectare). Otherwise, the law allows you to have a personal farm (in your own backyard) and grow agricultural products for sale without taxation. To register a peasant farm, you need: an application for state registration, a passport of the founder of the company, agreements, a decision on the establishment of a peasant farm (if there are several founders). Then, confirmation of payment of the state duty and the actual place of residence of the founder. If the enterprise is founded by one person, an agreement on the establishment of a peasant farm is not needed.
Which tax system to choose for doing business?
Running a peasant farm involves the use of unified agricultural tax, i.e. Based on the results of its activities, the enterprise pays a single agricultural tax for peasant farms.
Do I need permission to open?
Growing greenhouse cucumbers does not require licensing or special permits.
Technological process of cucumber production in a greenhouse
The technology for growing greenhouse cucumbers consists of several stages:
- Selection of planting material
Seeds or ready-made seedlings should be selected based on varietal characteristics. The hybrid varieties of the first generation F1 showed themselves best in practice. They are unpretentious, do not require special care (pruning, pinching) and have a fairly high yield. There are varieties that are adapted to low light, adapted to planting in cold regions. For early planting, cucumber species that are resistant to poor lighting and do not require pollination are suitable. These are usually long-fruited vegetables.
- Stage of arrangement of the greenhouse.
For colder regions, so-called “hot beds” are suitable. The effect of natural heating of plants from below is achieved through the natural process of fermentation and decomposition of manure or compost. This makes it possible to accelerate the appearance and development of cucumber shoots.
- Stage of planting seedlings.
The planting material must be hardened and have at least 4 leaves, and preferably 6. In winter greenhouses, planting begins in early February and in spring greenhouses with “hot beds” and heating - in early April. Without artificial heating, only on natural fuel (manure or compost) - in the 20th of April. If this is an ordinary film greenhouse, where heating occurs due to sunlight, seedlings should be planted no earlier than May.
- Plant feeding stage.
Correctly calculated feeding of seedlings will speed up the growing season and increase yield. For this purpose, mineral and organic mixtures are used, which are poured onto the beds in precise dosage.
- The stage of tying up plants, forming a bush and maintaining soil moisture.
Bushes tied up in time and correctly formed give maximum yield. When the sprout already has 8 or more leaves, you need to tie it up and pinch off the extra buds and leaves of the plant. Then flower buds will begin to form, which will produce a harvest of cucumbers. Cucumbers are a moisture-loving plant. To form a high-quality fruit, water is needed. Therefore, maintaining soil moisture at least 60%, but not more than 80%, will provide commercial cucumber in large quantities.
Growing vegetables can be quite a profitable business if organized correctly. Of course, organizing it will require a substantial investment of money, but it is much more important to have valuable information. Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse all year round is one of the possible business options that will allow you to make a good profit.
What should be included in a business plan for organizing an industrial greenhouse in which vegetables can be grown all year round? Firstly, this is land lease. You will need a lot of space to get a really big harvest, and only this can bring real profit.
Secondly, this is the design of the greenhouse itself. Its industrial versions are much more expensive, because they use high-quality materials from metal and half-carbonate, and the scale of the construction itself for annual production is different. The minimum cost starts from 500 thousand rubles, but these costs do not include equipment that will allow you to grow vegetables all year round. But you will need to organize heating, lighting, automatic watering, and ventilation systems that will function annually.
Thirdly, the business plan includes the planting material itself along with various fertilizers, without which it is difficult to obtain a large harvest.
Fourthly, it is important to think through the product distribution chain. Absolutely all farmers are puzzled by this problem. Experienced businessmen say that growing vegetables in a greenhouse is not difficult. It is much more difficult to sell goods on time at an adequate price in order not only to cover production costs, but also to make a profit.
Why should you choose cucumbers as a vegetable to grow all year round? Because these are unpretentious plants that will bear fruit without any problems, and because these are quite popular vegetables on the Russian market. But, like every plant, cucumbers have their own cultivation characteristics that you need to know about. If you are not an agricultural technician, then your business plan should also include wages for agricultural specialists, who will increase productivity and achieve high profitability of greenhouses. You should never skimp on knowledge. In fact, you should carefully consider what kind of staff you will need to grow vegetables. If the area of your greenhouse is approximately one hectare, then five people will be able to cope with the cultivation of cucumbers, including an agricultural technician, a manager and general workers.
Design selection
Assembling a greenhouse for growing vegetables all year round is not the most difficult thing. Most industrial structures have simple installation instructions. It is enough just to purchase such a greenhouse and pay for the work of the assemblers. But it is important to first choose the right greenhouse.
There are many options available in the market nowadays, but some of them are especially in demand for growing cucumbers.
For example, the “Farmer” greenhouse. This is an arched or gable structure made of polycarbonate and galvanized profile, available in various modifications. The reinforced design with double arcs is used in regions where gusts of wind and snow place additional stress on the greenhouse.
The Novator Premium greenhouse is also considered a good design for growing cucumbers all year round. This is a gable greenhouse made of polycarbonate, which allows you to grow vegetables all year round and on hanging racks. By the way, to increase business profitability, the cultivation of vegetables can be combined with the cultivation of herbs, which are unpretentious, but no less in demand on the Russian market. This greenhouse not only has good light transmittance, but also protects vegetables from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
To produce crops in warm regions, you can use a Mittlider polycarbonate greenhouse. It also has a gable roof, while on the north side of the roof it has a raised area for ventilation windows.
It is very important that the design is not only roomy, but also has a vestibule. Such additional space will allow you to organize the simplest heating systems without using useful space.
What additional systems will be needed to organize a greenhouse business? Cucumbers are vegetables that love warmth and moisture. Therefore, it is systems that can create such a microclimate inside that you need to pay attention to first of all. The temperature in the greenhouse should be maintained at 20 degrees all year round, no less. As for the need for light, cucumbers require 11 hours of light.
Heating is quite simple to organize if it is possible to connect communications to the structure. But many farmers create a mini-CHP on its territory, which both supplies the greenhouse with electricity and generates heat.
Russian winters and autumn are characterized by a lack of light, so it is important to equip greenhouses with supplementary lighting systems. It will also be necessary to organize a curtain system, which will reduce the heating of the air on particularly hot summer days.
As you know, the drip irrigation system is a modern and economical option for irrigating plants. In a greenhouse for year-round growing of vegetables, it is simply necessary.
Seeds and seedlings
Experts advise paying attention to vegetable seeds from Russian companies that are bred in a certain climate. But there are also foreign companies that sell planting material bred by breeders taking into account special climatic conditions. However, it should be borne in mind that the cost of foreign seeds is much higher. When purchasing hybrid seeds, farmers are forced to buy annually not only planting material, but also protective equipment and fertilizers. Usually they come together.
In any case, parthenocarpic varieties, that is, cucumbers that bear fruit without pollination, are ideal for greenhouse farming.
Experts recommend paying attention to such varieties of cucumbers for growing all year round as “Annushka”, “Dynamite”, “Emelya”, “Hercules”, “Gunnar”. What is important when running a greenhouse business? So that the harvest is not only presentable, but also has a long shelf life and successfully withstands transportation. To grow cucumbers, choose varieties that bear fruit frequently and are resistant to major crop diseases. It is important that they have good taste.
Some farmers choose Chinese varieties of vegetables, which is quite logical. After all, most of the goods sold in stores are made in China. Such vegetables grow quite large, but they also spoil faster. Therefore, you should first establish sales.
In a greenhouse, cucumbers should be grown using a vertical trellis method. This way you can fit more vegetables in a smaller area. On average, there will be about 22 thousand bushes per hectare.
Fertilizer and protection
Not a single plant cultivated for sale can do without additional feeding. For the annual cultivation of cucumbers, humus, potassium sulfate, and chicken manure are usually used. It is important to consider that cultivating a large number of vegetables will require a large amount of fertilizer. This should also be reflected in the business plan. To feed plants in greenhouses, automation of this process is often required.
But if you want to keep up with the times, then other cultivation technologies can be envisaged for the production of vegetables. For example, growing plants on coconut mats is now popular. This substrate replaces soil. In such conditions, plants develop a powerful root system. However, this technology is suitable for small-volume greenhouse farming.
In addition to seeds and fertilizers, plants will need protection from pests and diseases that can appear even in the highest quality and regulated greenhouse with a good microclimate. Although this is rather an exception to the rule than the norm.
Sales of products
How much harvest can you get annually from a cucumber crop? According to the most conservative estimates, 35 tons, if the greenhouse area is about 500 square meters. Since cultivation occurs all year round, you will have about three tons of cucumbers per month. Therefore, issues of selling goods should be in your first place long before the greenhouse is built. Where can you sell your cucumber harvest? You will need to create your own sales offers for wholesale warehouses, vegetable markets, and chain stores. It is important to establish relationships with intermediaries, as well as sell vegetables directly from the place of production.
It is important that there are several sales options. It is the multivariate sales scheme that will allow you to sell goods consistently and not have to think about where to sell the harvest so that it does not spoil.
Many beginning farmers are wondering: what is the profitability of the cucumber business? On average, this is 60%. This is not as much as in the case of growing strawberries, where profitability reaches 100%, but cucumbers are a product that is purchased much more often.
On average, to organize a business from scratch on an area of 500 square meters, you will need about 1.5-2 million rubles. The annual profit will be a little more than two million, which means that all expenses can be covered in a year.
This is not to say that growing cucumbers in a greenhouse is a very simple task. After all, this vegetable will require the creation of special climatic conditions inside the structure. He loves warmth and humidity. But in the case of organizing an agro-industrial business, you need to focus, first of all, on the demand, which is great for cucumbers in Russia all year round.
Russia is considered one of the largest agricultural countries in the world. Almost every family has its own plot of land on which various crops can be planted. Growing vegetables for sale (cucumbers) is an affordable and profitable type of business. Among all greenhouse crops, cucumbers are the most popular because they are easy to care for and are always in demand. In the article you will find information on where to start, a plan and how you can save in the first stages.
Business Features
Growing crops is a profitable and increasingly popular type of business. Despite the fact that the market is highly competitive, the demand for fresh vegetables remains throughout the year. By creating optimal conditions, several crops of cucumbers can be grown in one year, and if you have the necessary area and a greenhouse of 100 m2 or more, profitability increases to 200%.
When starting your own business, you should consider several factors - the demand for products in your region, the quality of the soil on the site and the availability of the necessary budget for the initial investment. This type of business has pros and cons that should be taken into account before making your first investment.
Advantages
Growing cucumbers is one of the most common types of agriculture in Russia, as it has several significant advantages:
If you follow the cultivation technology, there will be no problems with yield or infection with pests and diseases. Despite the fact that cucumber is considered a finicky crop, it is suitable even for novice farmers.
Flaws
Like any type of business, growing cucumbers has a number of disadvantages that can complicate entrepreneurial activity:
- large financial investments are required for greenhouse equipment, which is especially noticeable at the very beginning of work;
- significant costs are required for maintaining the greenhouse complex in winter and autumn;
- there is strong competition in the vegetable market in some regions, so newcomers have to reduce the price of the product, which leads to loss of income;
- gardening experience and skills are required, without which it is impossible to get a rich harvest.
Before you start investing money in the development of your business, it is advisable to register an individual entrepreneurship or peasant farm, and also obtain the right to land ownership of the site.
Greenhouse equipment requires large financial investments
Profitability
The profitability of selling cucumbers depends on many factors, the most important of which are the time of year and the yield of the variety. If you follow the growing technology and use a large greenhouse, the profitability of the business increases several times.
For example, some high-yielding varieties (, and others) can produce up to 5 kg of fresh cucumbers in one season. Other high-yielding varieties of cucumbers are presented. The approximate price for this vegetable in central Russia is 140 rubles. When planting 200 bushes, the income from the sale will be 140 thousand rubles per planting cycle. It is important to consider that in summer and early autumn the price of agricultural products falls, so profits depend on the season.
Cucumbers of the varieties German, Kurazh, Emelya bring up to 5 kg of harvest per year
Investments
If you start a business within the framework of running a personal subsidiary plot, then all investments at the initial stage will be reduced only to the installation of a greenhouse and its equipment, as well as the purchase of all the necessary tools and consumables. Investments for these items amount to 450 thousand rubles when using a greenhouse with an area of 100-110 m 2. When drawing up a business plan, it is necessary to take into account the current costs of heating, electricity, water and logistics. On average, you can recoup your investment in 2 years if there is a market.
The initial investment boils down to the purchase of materials for building a greenhouse
Profit from growing this crop appears only when using large-area greenhouse structures. Income from the sale of cucumbers when planted in open ground and small greenhouses will only slightly exceed expenses.
Sales
Methods for selling products should be considered even before investing and building the first greenhouse. In the absence of sales sources, the profitability of cultivation decreases several times. Selling crops is an unpredictable and seasonal business, so it is advisable to develop multiple sales routes.
To begin with, you can start by retailing small volumes of cucumbers to invest in equipment and correct errors. It is more convenient to sell small batches yourself using retail outlets or through online platforms (advertising sites, social networks). In the future, sales can be expanded in two main areas:
- catering establishments;
- wholesale buyers.
In any case, you will have to spend a lot of effort and time on travel and negotiations with buyers, as well as delivery and storage of goods. To interest potential customers, you can reduce the price by 10-15% from the cost of competitors - this will attract attention to the product.
The main sale of cucumbers is their wholesale or retail trade
Even at the stage of business development, you should think about product packaging. It will not only preserve the marketable appearance of vegetables, but can attract new buyers.
Expenses
Like any other type of business, growing cucumbers involves costs for the production of goods, their storage, transportation and sale. In the first stages, investments may exceed income, since a large amount is spent on creating conditions for cultivation. In the future, investments will only be required for consumables, repair and maintenance of greenhouses, and work with finished products.
Necessary equipment
To increase productivity and ease of care, you need to purchase the following devices and tools:
To assess the profitability of the enterprise, we will draw up a detailed business plan for growing cucumbers with calculations. It will reflect all the costs at the stage of preparation for entering the consumer market and evaluate our position in the conditions of competition with large vegetable growing complexes. It is planned to develop vegetable growing by growing cucumbers, which are less demanding to climatic conditions and various diseases, unlike tomatoes and peppers. To implement the plan, the following conditions will be required:
- A plot of land with an area of 6 acres (600 sq. m). The plot is located in a rural area and is related to a personal farm under a certificate of ownership.
- There are outbuildings on the territory that can be converted into technical and storage rooms (40 sq. m.).
- The premises require redevelopment, minor repairs, and equipment for a warehouse.
- Form of activity: peasant farm (peasant farm). Family business involving family members in the work.
- Taxation: Unified Agricultural Tax (6% of income).
Service list
- Sale of fresh cucumbers to private buyers directly from the farm.
- Wholesale sales of products to the city market and vegetable market.
- Transfer of cucumbers for sale to a rural store.
- Independent sale of products on the market.
- Conservation of surplus and sale to the public.
Work schedule: irregular; all year round.
Type of activity according to OKVED: 01.13.12 “Growing vegetables in protected soil.”
Paper question
Peasant farms have the right to sell products without issuing a quality certificate and declaration for cucumbers, if the goods are not supplied to chain stores. To trade on the market, it is enough to obtain a permit from the market administration by testing the cucumbers in their laboratory. No documents are needed for the private sale of vegetables from the farmstead.
To register a peasant farm you will need:
- Passport of the head of the household and companions.
- The decision to create a farm.
- Certificate from the settlement administration notifying the start of activities.
- Certificate of ownership of the land plot.
The listed documents are enough to start in the vegetable growing business.
Material base of the project
The main investment will be required to purchase equipment that will allow you to grow cucumbers all year round. Even in summer, the crop will grow in a greenhouse to reduce the risk of climatic changes. We indicate the costs in the table:
| Name of equipment for the greenhouse | Quantity, pcs. | price, rub. | Total expense, rub. |
| Professional greenhouse (total volume 200 sq. m.) with installation | 2 | 90 thousand | 180 thousand |
| Soil heating system in the cold season | 10 | 4.5 thousand | 45 thousand |
| Universal boiler for heating a greenhouse | 2 | 30 thousand | 60 thousand |
| Energy-saving lamps to maintain natural light | 28 | 5 thousand | 140 thousand |
| Drip irrigation kit | 4 | 4.5 thousand | 18 thousand |
| Water container (volume 500 liters) | 2 | 10 thousand | 20 thousand |
| Water hose for supplying water to the container | 1 | 2 thousand | 2 thousand |
| Twine for tying tops | 50 | 100 | 5 thousand |
| An assortment of tools for cultivating soil and vegetables. | – | – | 10 thousand |
| Containers for harvesting (buckets, boxes) | 20 | 150 | 3 thousand |
| Firewood | 1 cu. | 5 thousand | 5 thousand |
| Total | – | 488 thousand |
The cost of equipment and related items may change because market prices are volatile. In winter, additional discounts are possible, which will allow you to save on the greenhouse.
Additional funds will be required to equip the warehouse and supply water and electricity to the greenhouses. Water and electricity are supplied only to the house, so the services of plumbing and electrical cable installers will be required. Let's take into account another 100 thousand rubles. Pulling gas to the greenhouse complex is time-consuming and costly; projects coordinated with the gas service will be required. Therefore, we choose firewood as fuel, which can be purchased at the local forestry department. We will replenish the stock as we use it up. During the warm season, there is no need to heat the greenhouse, so there is no point in making large supplies of firewood.
The size of the initial investment can be adjusted if you start a business in the spring. A heating system and artificial daylight can be installed later, earning funds from the summer sale of the first harvest.
HR decision
The peasant farm form provides for the use of family members as labor. The main work will be performed by adults (2 people):
Children (14 and 16 years old) can collect cucumbers and ship them. No outside help will be required. For husband and wife, this is the main place of work and income, so contributions to the funds are made independently at the established rates of the Pension Fund and the Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund. The income of family members depends on the harvest and the profitability of selling cucumbers. The contributions that the head of the peasant farm will make will be reflected in the table:
| Type of contribution | Cash, rub. |
| In PF for yourself as an individual entrepreneur | 19 357 |
| To the MHIF for yourself | 3 797 |
| In PF per participant | 19 357 |
| In the MHIF per participant | 3 797 |
| Total | 46 308 |
These are the main costs for participants' income. Wages are not set because a vegetable grower's income is affected by profits from the sale of produce and costs.
How long will it take for the greenhouse complex to start operating?
Receipt of the first income is planned for the summer season. We will start preparing for it in the spring. At this stage, less investment in equipment will be required because heating and additional lighting are not needed in summer. Daylight hours from May to September are sufficient for a full harvest.
| MARCH | APRIL | MAY | JUNE | |
| Preparation of documents for peasant farms | + | |||
| Ordering greenhouses, installation on site | + | |||
| Installation of equipment for soil heating and drip irrigation. Laying water supply and electrical lines to objects | + | |||
| Purchase of seeds, fertilizers, equipment, water containers | + | |||
| Soil cultivation, planting work | + | |||
| Search for vegetable sales channels | + | + | + | |
| Crop care, active growth phase of cucumber tops | + | + | ||
| Harvesting the first harvest, entering the market | + |
The table gives an example of timing planning for the summer harvest. But the scheme may be different if material resources appear later. Then the work will shift and will require more time to install heating and additional light sources.
Productivity and income
- Summer season is from May to September.
- Autumn harvest from October to late January.
- Spring period from February to May.
Over the course of a year, a greenhouse can produce a harvest of up to 70 kg per 1 square meter. m. In our case, 200 square meters will be occupied for growing cucumbers. m. The yield from the complex will be 14 tons per year under good conditions.
Let's evaluate the material side by indicating in the table the cost of cucumbers in different seasons. Let's take the average price as a basis, taking into account that cucumbers can be sold on the market independently at retail prices and sold in bulk to a vegetable base.
If unforeseen circumstances do not arise, the annual profitability from growing cucumbers will be about 1 million rubles. To determine net profit, it is necessary to take into account investments, taxes, utilities and monthly expenses for fertilizers, crop treatment products against diseases and pests. Let's put all the indicators in the table:
Annual profit from two greenhouses with a volume of 200 sq. m can be 658,000 rubles. Investments at the stage of equipping the land plot amounted to about 550,000 thousand rubles. This indicates that the peasant farm will achieve payback in one year and receive a net profit of 100,000 rubles. The next annual turnover will bring the family a profit of 600-700 thousand rubles. This will allow us to expand the greenhouse complex and introduce greens, radishes and other vegetable crops into the assortment.
Where to get initial capital
The investment required to implement a business idea is considerable. For a rural resident, this may be an unaffordable amount if you rely only on personal savings. But for agriculture there are preferential lending conditions and subsidies from the state. Therefore, funds for equipment are expected to be obtained with the support of a government subsidy or through loans from Rosselkhozbank.
Personal funds will be used for seeds, fertilizers, communications. Payment of contributions is also expected from income from the cucumber business.
We will look for the main sales channels for cucumbers before we begin preparations for the launch of the cucumber complex. The main partners will be vegetable bases, markets, and direct buyers.
- To attract consumers, it is necessary to prepare advertisements in local media (print and electronic format), on Internet sites, and thematic forums.
- You can compete with cucumber suppliers from other regions by reducing costs and focusing on the freshness of the product. Cucumbers do not require long transportation, because the farm is located a few kilometers from the central market.
- Monitor new selections in order to buy varieties of cucumbers that bring greater yields. Due to this, it is possible to increase the harvest of vegetables from one greenhouse.
- Agree on the supply of cucumbers to local restaurants, canteens, children's institutions, hospitals, and sanatoriums.
- Prepare for the fact that there may be a surplus crop that cannot be sold. Then you will have to start conservation and search for channels for selling finished products.
Eventually
A cucumber business on a peasant farm scale can bring a family a stable income. The advantages are that investments can be made gradually, starting with the installation of industrial greenhouses and the first harvest. Equipping a heat source and a light source in winter can be done gradually. The business will bring not only income, but also the opportunity to always have fresh vegetables and herbs on your table. In the future there are prospects for expanding the profile and territory.
We will not be mistaken if we say that the topic growing cucumbers is familiar to most citizens of our country.
Cucumber contains up to 97% water and contains a lot of potassium. It is rich in complex organic substances that play an important role in metabolism in the human body. In any case, few agricultural crops in Russia can compare in popularity with cucumber.
Business idea for growing cucumbers for sale will always be relevant in Russia.
So, let's look at how you can make money on cucumbers. Perhaps our article will be of more interest to those who want to earn extra income.
You can earn income from the implementation of the following ideas:
Growing cucumbers in open ground in summer;
Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in summer and winter;
Growing cucumbers in an apartment in winter;
Growing cucumber seedlings;
Growing cucumbers for seeds (by the way - very profitable and promising);
Production of pickled cucumbers and their sale.
By the way, from the point of view of classical botany, a cucumber is a fruit (it is the closest relative of a pumpkin, which is very close to a berry), but from a culinary point of view it is recognized as a vegetable.
On the Internet you can find specialized forums where you can find hundreds of times more information on growing cucumbers than is written in this article. We will not compete with specialists in the field of biology and botany; we simply recommend listening to the opinions of professionals on specialized sites.
In general, it’s better to start by studying the theory - how to choose good cucumber seeds, how to germinate seeds, how to plant cucumber seedlings in the ground, how to increase the yield of cucumbers... There are even favorable days for planting cucumbers. There are a lot of questions here; it is impossible to consider everything in one article.
Early varieties begin to bear fruit approximately 40-50 days after the appearance of the first shoots (sprouts). Harvesting can be done from about mid-June to September, depending on the climate zone and variety.
It is better to water cucumbers with warm water. Fertilizers, manure, and peat compost are widely used. Fresh manure is not recommended; it is said to make cucumbers bitter. Vermicompost significantly increases the yield of cucumbers.
To get a more complete picture of business opportunities in this area, try to keep a record of all the cucumbers collected (in pieces and kilograms) over the entire summer at your summer cottage. If you don’t have your own plot, ask relatives and friends to keep this record. This way you will get an idea of the specific results of doing business if you suddenly decide to deal with this issue closely. It should be remembered that the yield of cucumbers for an amateur gardener can always be significantly increased.
There are a huge number of varieties of cucumbers - we will not take the liberty of recommending any specific one, it all depends on many factors. You can start listing, but it will take too much time - Muromsky, Zozulya, Vyaznikovsky, Kustovoy, Competitor, Masha, Champion, Matilda, Evita, Othello, Lord, Levina, Farmer...
You should know that there are both self-pollinating and bee-pollinated varieties (although they are pollinated not only by bees, but also by other insects).
Let's consider all the options for making money on cucumbers in more detail. Of course, you can combine all methods of earning money, making the most of this business.
Growing cucumbers in open ground in summer
This is the easiest way to earn money. In most of Russia, cucumbers can be grown in ordinary beds. Buy seedlings (or seeds - it’s cheaper). You dig a garden bed and fertilize it. The main thing is not to forget to water on time. Cucumbers love water very much. In order for cucumbers to “get used” to the cold, experienced gardeners “harden” the seedlings by placing pots of seedlings on the balcony or loggia for the day.
When the seedlings are planted, they are covered with special material, or covered with halves of 5-liter plastic bottles - every summer resident has a lot of such stuff. Covering material increases productivity by 3-5 times. Don't forget about weeding.
Of course, the yield greatly depends on the variety.
Cucumbers from the ground, as a rule, are better stored compared to “greenhouse” ones, but it all depends on the variety and storage conditions.
From 1 sq. meters, when grown in open ground, you can harvest up to 4-5 kg of cucumbers. From 6 acres you can produce about 3 tons of cucumbers. There are approximately 12-13 cucumbers per kilogram (the weight of an “average” cucumber is about 80 grams, although this figure is very arbitrary).
Towards the end of summer, “in season” on the market, on average, a kilogram of cucumbers costs about 30-50 rubles.
The most important thing here is implementation. You can hand over the grown products for sale to stores. However, in this case there will be a large loss of revenue.
Usually, they first look for a buyer, and then remove cucumbers from the garden for a specific order. Otherwise, you can simply ruin the product.
When growing cucumbers in open ground, you need a large area of land to earn more or less serious money.
Growing cucumbers in a greenhouse in summer and winter
This is also a method familiar to most summer residents. Polycarbonate greenhouses are now very popular.
A polycarbonate greenhouse measuring 6x3 meters will cost approximately 15-20 thousand rubles, including installation. Don’t be afraid of these investments - firstly, the amount is not that big, and the investment will pay off within a season; secondly, the greenhouse will last for many years; thirdly, in a greenhouse you can grow a lot of other things besides cucumbers and tomatoes, which we will also talk about later, and the profit will be several times higher.
From 1 sq. meter in a greenhouse you can harvest up to 30 kg of cucumbers. The best results are shown by state farms and factories - they achieve results of up to 50-55 kg of cucumbers per 1 sq. meters.
From a greenhouse with an area of 18 sq.m. you can remove up to 500-550 kg of cucumbers.
At a price of 40 rubles per kilogram, the greenhouse will pay for itself within a season. There will be net profit in the following years.
In winter, heating and watering will be required. If you do not plan to engage in farming seriously, then it is better not to start it as a business, although the idea is very promising. You will not be able to compete on price with state farms and plants. When building a large-area greenhouse, a lot of investments will be required. It is more convenient to heat large areas using gas supply.
Growing cucumbers in an apartment (including in winter)
Cucumbers are grown on balconies (loggias) and on window sills.
The most important question here is the question of pollination (in winter there is a problem with this - there are no insects). Of course, you can also grow self-pollinating varieties.
In general, people usually grow cucumbers in an apartment for themselves. Growing for sale is only possible if you have extensive experience in growing cucumbers in order to get the maximum yield from every square meter.
Even if you rent a one-room apartment with an area of 40 sq.m. and plant it with cucumbers, you will not receive a significant amount of money as a result, which can be expected from growing other crops.
But in winter, the cost of a kilogram of cucumbers is usually 2-4 times higher than the “summer” price and can reach 150-200 rubles per kilogram. If you can’t sell, at the very least you will eat your fresh cucumbers.
Many varieties are suitable for growing in an apartment, for example, “Room Rytova”, “Miracle on the Window”.
Growing cucumber seedlings
Planting seedlings in a greenhouse accelerates the appearance of cucumbers 10-15 days earlier than usual, compared to planting seeds. This is why seedlings are so popular among summer residents.
Everything is simple here - we buy seeds, germinate them, and sell seedlings. On average, the cost of seedlings (one sprout) is about 10-15 rubles. This doesn’t seem like much, but there’s no special labor involved. When growing in an apartment, the land can be prepared in the fall.
Seedlings can also be planted in a greenhouse. See for yourself - for one seedling, use an area of approximately 7cm x 7cm. This is 0.0049 square meters. meters. In a greenhouse with an area of 18 sq.m. (size 6 meters x 3 meters) you can grow up to 3.3 thousand sprouts (take a useful area of 16 sq.m. - leave 2 sq.m. for passage). We multiply 3.3 thousand by 10 rubles - it turns out 33 thousand rubles... Of course, there will be expenses for seeds and other expenses, but if you wish, you can “grow” yourself a good smartphone in this way, and there will still be left...
Growing cucumbers for seeds
Here we come to a very interesting and promising business idea. Without getting lost in thought, let’s say that a kilogram of cucumber seeds costs about 18 thousand rubles on the market.
Well, now some numbers, if they don’t bore you.
1,000 seeds cost on average about 1,500 rubles. One seed, depending on the variety, costs about 1-2 rubles. To be honest, we didn’t count how many seeds there are in a cucumber. According to experts, one cucumber contains approximately 50-150 “usable” seeds. In general, imagine when you eat a cucumber how much it costs, taking this into account...
There are approximately 25-35 cucumber seeds in one gram. Amounts in different sources may differ, this is explained by different sizes of seeds and the degree of their dryness.
There are, respectively, 25 thousand - 35 thousand pieces of seeds per kilogram. 1 cucumber seed weighs approximately 0.028-0.04 grams.
1,000 seeds weigh 28-40 grams.
Let's estimate the yield - and this is approximately 30 kg (360 pieces) of cucumbers per 1 sq. meters. Accordingly, one greenhouse measuring 6x3 meters is capable of producing 6.5 thousand (!) cucumbers per season.
And if you manage to collect 100 seeds from each cucumber, the amount doubles. And if…
In general, you can collect up to 5 grams from one seed cucumber. seeds
You may be surprised by such profitability. Nevertheless, this is true, although not everything is so rosy, there are many nuances. Not all varieties are suitable for obtaining seeds. Hybrid varieties are not used to obtain seeds - subsequently all the properties of “varietal” cucumbers are lost. Seeds are collected from overripe cucumbers (they turn yellow). To obtain “yielding” seeds, “female” cucumbers are usually used - when cut in cross-section, they are square in cross-section (male cucumbers are triangular). It is believed that maximum germination of seeds is achieved after 2-5 years of storage.
Among the fruits obtained, we select the best cucumbers - selective selection is carried out. Although in practice, of course, business “dealers” use absolutely all cucumbers to obtain seeds.
There are special machines for extracting seeds from cucumbers. Its cost can reach about 100-150 thousand rubles, but it will pay for itself.
Buyers usually buy seeds from “trusted” sellers and recommend them to their friends. By ensuring good quality seeds, you will create a good basis for business expansion in the future.
There are now a lot of low-quality seeds on the market. There is no need to be afraid of competition from “chain retailers” - people will be more willing to buy in a small shop if they trust the seller than in a large chain store.
In general, if you are unable to sell your cucumber harvest, do not despair, you can use them for seeds and earn even more.
Cucumber seeds remain viable for up to 8-10 years if stored properly.
There is no need to throw away the remaining cucumbers - it is more expedient to sell it - for example, offer it to pig farms for animal feed - this way you can get additional income.
With a large scale of activity, this business can be conducted by registering as an individual entrepreneur or opening an LLC. There is a very good video on the topic of choosing between individual entrepreneurs and LLCs with a comparative analysis of the main criteria, we recommend that you watch it. The video is located.
Production of pickled cucumbers and their sale
Older people probably know how to pickle cucumbers. In principle, there is nothing complicated here. The main ingredients here are cucumbers, clean water (ideally spring water), salt, dill, black currant leaves, oak leaves. Crispy cucumber has always been and will be valued in Russia as both a snack and simply as an addition to salads or potatoes. The main buyers will be vegetarian cafes, canteens, restaurants... They themselves will resolve issues with regulatory authorities. You can simply sell the pickles at the market, or offer the product for sale to other sellers.
In general, for those who can distinguish a watering can from a shovel, there are always options to earn extra money at their own dacha.
More information on this idea for starting and running a business can be obtained.
Articles on the topic
