If you are short on space or time and looking to grow high-value crops to get the most out of your small farm, then you should know about these 5 most profitable plants to grow!
There are a number of farm plants you can grow for a profitable income source but deciding on which ones to grow will depend on different factors, other than climate and soil of course. So, keep an eye on which of the following plants are suitable to grow for you.
With that being said let’s take a look at some of the world’s most profitable crops to grow on your farm, be it big or small.
Saffron
Saffron is the most expensive crop in the world. Why? It’s made out of the stigmas of the crocus plant and it takes around 75,000 flowers to produce 500 grams of dried saffron.
The good news is that to grow that many crocus flowers in just a quarter acre of land. It grows best in dry regions with mild winters and planting them in polytunnels or greenhouses can help them grow in other regions too.
Growing crocus from the seeds can be quite the work so it’s best to grow them from the corms which are the fleshy part tuberous roots of the plant. As years go by, the crocus corms divide so you can separate and replant them to expand your farm size and sell the surplus to other farmers as well.
The laborious part of growing saffron, however, is the harvesting process when you need to pick the flowers as they bloom and then remove the three blossoms per flower. To keep yourself motivated during the harvesting period, remind yourself that it takes about 150 blossoms to make 1 gram of dried saffron.
Mushrooms
Easy to grow, this cash crop is probably the first one to pop- up in your mind when you think of small-scale farm ideas. Growing mushrooms is highly profitable, especially oyster mushrooms, which can be grown in as little time as 5 weeks and sell it for a good amount.
This edible fungus is the perfect choice of crop for urban growers and planting enthusiasts who don’t have the space a lot of open space to work with.
Mushrooms are usually grown indoors and produce an incredible yield per foot square. Another best thing about mushrooms: they can be grown vertically in huge hanging bags to make the best use of your small space.
Microgreens
Microgreens and mushrooms are quite similar. When it comes to profit per square foot, especially appreciate how scalable microgreens are. In a spare room or basement, you can begin by producing just 5 or 6 trays of microgreens and immediately begin earning an additional couple hundred dollars per month. Microgreens can sell for more than $15 per pound and only take 2 or 3 weeks to grow from seed to harvest.
You should start employing shelving to cultivate your microgreens as you scale up. In this manner, you can develop them with up to four rows of microgreens stacked on top of one another under fluorescent lighting.
Microgreens can also be produced hydroponically, but they are often cultivated in 10" x 20" trays with soil. Microgreens have a short shelf life and must be sold fresh, just like mushrooms. Selling at farmer's markets or contacting nearby chefs and grocery stores will help you find a market. Additionally, you can provide surplus microgreens to wholesalers.
There are many distinct varieties of microgreens that are often grown nowadays, and almost any conventional vegetable or herb can be grown as one.
Before trying more exotic types, it is best to start with the more widely available ones like sunflower, radish, and pea shoots. Because the above-mentioned are simpler to grow and because people are already familiar with them, they are also simpler to market. Microgreens are among the most profitable crops to grow due to their high yield per square foot and high selling prices.
Lavender
Growing lavender is one of the best ways to earn a massive profit while also keeping your surroundings smelling amazing! This herb is a versatile crop and its flowers can be sold to florists, fresh or dried.
One of the most loved fragrance oil, lavender is a common ingredient in aromatherapy products, and skin care products such as soaps and body lotions. If you plant lavender on one acre of land, you get 12,000 bouquets that you can sell in dried form as it requires the least investment in labor, time, and types of equipment.
Lavender is also an easy-to-grow and maintain crop as it can be grown in a variety of different climates, require barely any or no fertilizer and irrigation, and can be propagated easily from cuttings. They are also fast-growing and disease-resilient plants.
Although the plant won’t flower till its second year, it will continue blossoming for the next 10 years or so.
Goji Berries
Packed with nutrition and antioxidants, this delicious red berry has anti-cancer and anti-aging benefits which easily makes it a superfood. Dried goji berries sell for around Rs 1500 for 500 grams and fresh berries are even more in demand, making them pricier. You can grow over 3,000 kgs of goji berries per acre, making it the most profitable berry to grow.
Slightly thorny, goji berries are deciduous, woody shrubs and can grow up to 3-6 feet tall. When growing the plant, keep it in the greenhouse for the initial 6 weeks of its growth and then transplant them outdoors as it can bear both cold and hot weather.
The investment put into growing goji berries from the cuttings can cost some money but unlike other berries, won’t require replanting every year. In the first few years, the harvest might be light and can take up to 3-5 years to come to full production capacity.
