Profitable Crops on Small Plots. 5 Ideas for Beginners
Farming businesses generally require having large areas of land, 2 – 3 acres at least, even when growing rare plants and enjoying high demand and selling price. But even beginner farmers that have an acre at the most can have their start. Here are 5 profitable crops on small plots for those with a little land and the will to invest in it to get an idea.
Lavender
Profitable crops on small plots. Roses
Two farmers in Brasov had just 1 acre of an ancient orchard which they used to plant roses. They bought Bulgarian as well as Romanian cultivars with a plan to sell the petals in mind. They then realized it would be more profitable for them to make their own confiture, syrup and rose vinegar.
And now they turn their small plantation into 10,000 jars (200 grams) of confiture they sell with $2.5/piece, 5,000 bottles (250 gr) of syrup they sell with $3, and 3,000 bottles (200 ml) of vinegar they sell for $2 each. They’ve managed to make a deal with a supermarket for 60% of their production, while the rest goes on sale at farmers’ markets and fares.
Profitable crops on small plots. Hot peppers
Hot peppers can be grown and turned into profit even on a plot of less than 10,000 square feet. The most important thing is to choose those extremely hot pepper cultivars, like Habanero, Jalapeno or Cayenne, that gourmands appreciate and restaurants need. Only 10 seeds of such cultivars can be sold on the internet for 10 – 12 dollars.
To make sure this crop will be profitable you should consider also investing in aplliances for a minimal processing, at least dehydrating, and closing deals with restaurants and stores.
Profitable crops on small plots. Marigolds
Marigolds are a good investment on a 0.5 – 1 acre plot. They are sold for tea and pharmaceutical products. The flowers have to be dried and can be sold for 4 – 12 dollars a kilo.
Osier
Used for making baskets, in floral arrangements, but especially as biomass, osier or basket willow can bring a grower over 45,000 dollars on just an acre. It grows extremely fast – more than 1 inch/day -and quickly regenerates, reaching a production of 30 tones/hectare (2.5 acres) from the 2nd or 3rd year.
