With the rising prices of commodities today, a thousand pesos can only go so far.
However, in the case of a 21-year-old student, 1,000 pesos resulted in the discovery of a new passion and the launch of his first hydroponics start-up.
John Harold B. Zapata recognized an opportunity in the convenience and low needs of hydroponics thanks to his knowledge and experience in business from the educational field to the real world.
He made the decision to try his hand at soilless farming in April 2021 after stumbling upon a hydroponics video with his father.
He acquired coco peat, seeds, cups, and scraps of plastic with an initial investment of less than P1,000. The grape boxes he obtained from a friend who runs a market stall were among the early items he utilized that were reused.
He and his father constructed their hydroponic greenhouses themselves due to a lack of resources. The young farmer grows more confident about the venture's potential after many harvests.
A budding young Agripreneur
Zapata's passion in farming was greatly influenced by his late grandfather, a traditional farmer.
Due to conventional beliefs and traditions, his grandfather discouraged him from becoming a farmer, but this did not stop Zapata from following in his footsteps.
Zapata started working in the business world at an early age. He sold dim sum, parols (Christmas lanterns), and even worked as an extra in a movie before going into the agricultural industry.
His personal and professional development has substantially benefited from these experiences, which helps him handle his current project.
He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, and the soilless farming method enables him to manage a company without putting his studies at risk.
Four-digit capital to six-digit projected income
San Fernando, Pampanga is home to Zapata's hydroponic farm, known as Plant Habitat. One is in the front yard and the other is in the backyard, dividing it into two greenhouses.
Plant Habitat was able to increase public knowledge of hydroponic farming in less than a year, which enabled it to continue to thrive.
The first harvest for the young hydroponic farmer, who started with nine grape boxes filled with lettuce, brought in P700.
He received more funding from his father to support this project, which he used to purchase five tuna boxes to increase production.
His hydroponic farm has evolved from cultivating 72 heads of lettuce to holding 2,000 heads of three different lettuce varieties: Romaine, Lollo Bionda, and Crystal.
Depending on the market, a lettuce cup might cost anywhere between P25 and P35. If his produce sells out, he may make as much as P50,000 per month.
This excludes the other products and services he provides, such as seedlings, seeds, consultancy, and greenhouse construction.
Zapata cultivates hydroponic lettuce using Kratky and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) methods. Many beginners prefer the former since it is a low-maintenance, electricity-free hydroponic method. On the other side, the NFT costs more and needs more resources.
A low-maintenance farming method that can be less expensive than using other farming systems is hydroponics.
However, this does not shield one from difficulties. Adverse weather, in Zapata's opinion, is the most difficult challenge in hydroponics that no farmer can control.
For instance, extreme heat increases humidity, which attracts disease to plants. Zapata suggests hydroponic growers moisten the soil and spritz water into the air to reduce humidity.
According to Zapata, for the best harvests, the greenhouse's temperature must be kept below 30 ° C.
Resourcefulness is important when setting up a new business. Zapata admitted that many people had their doubts about him having a P1,000 starting budget, but his growing farm business shows that patience and savvy farming and business skills can result in a reliable income.
