potato farming business plan pdf download

Starting Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF)

Potatoes are pivotal to food security in the world. They are the 4 th most starch-rich crop in the world. They sit at number 3 on the list of the top food crops in the world. To over 1 billion people in the world, potatoes are literally a staple food. Potatoes are globally regarded as a cash crop. As an important food crop, potatoes must be cultivated from a place of knowledge. Potato farming business has lucrative returns. Many people are making money all over the world by farming potatoes. However, to build a successful, sustainable potato farming business, you require sufficient knowledge of how to efficiently grow the potatoes, good business management skills, and a good potato farming business plan. This article will outline how to start the potato farming business, and the potato farming business plan – PDF, Word and Excel.

There are some essential things decisions that you need to make before you venture into the potato farming business. You have to make a decision on how many hectares you want to farm, which type of potatoes you will farm, which season you are going to plant your potatoes, and your target market.. These choices will be affected by the amount of capital you have, and the needs of your target  market.  If you do not have a lot of capital, you can always start small and grow your potato farming business overtime. You also need to carry out market research (Who are you going to sell the potatoes to? At what price?) and write a potato business plan before you venture into the business.

Land for Potato Farming Business

Good potato production starts with good land selection. Potatoes can be grown in a variety of soil types, however alkaline soils and saline soils are not a good fit for potato farming. The land should also have the right soil structure. A good structure allows good water infiltration into the soil and water drainage through the soil, exchange of gases in and out of the soil, and optimal root development. Loose soils are good for potato farming business because they offer the least resistance to enlargement of the tubers. The most suitable soil types are loamy and sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter, with good drainage and aeration. Another factor to consider is the pH of the soil, as it should be ideally in the range of 5.2-6.4 to enable the optimum growth of the potatoes. You will encounter problems with common scab if you plant potatoes in soils with high pH. If your farm your potatoes in soils with lower pH than the recommended range, the potatoes will produce poor quality tubers and will have abnormal growth.  Thus before you start farming potatoes on your farm its essential that you check whether the soil is suitable for potato farming. Potato farming also involves extensive ground preparation. The soil needs to be harrowed until completely free of weed roots. Your business plan for potato production should take into account the cost of purchasing or renting the land.

Machinery and Equipment

Machinery and equipment which are required for your potato farming business will depend on the scale of your operations. Machinery and equipment needed include tractors, harvesters, boom sprayers, fertilizer spreader equipment, irrigation equipment, spray equipment, diggers,  scales, ridgers, bins etc. Most farmers usually hire big machinery like tractors when they want to use them, rather than purchasing them as they are expensive. There may also be need of  grid hydroelectricity energy for the irrigation systems, standby diesel generators for use during power outages, or solar powered irrigation systems. Farmers especially in the rural areas who do not have the modern farming equipment use animal drawn equipment in potato farming. The higher the level of mechanization at your potato farm, the higher the efficiency of your operations, and the profitability of your potato farming business. The potato farming business plan should include the costs of acquiring and hiring the various machinery and equipment.  

Potato Seeds

Potato seeds are the most important input in the potato farming business. There are many varieties of potato cultivars which are used in different parts of the world. The potato cultivars differ in colour, shape, yield, texture and time to maturity. Your choice of which potato cultivar to use in your potato farming business will be determined by availability of the seeds, the yield of the seeds, the resistance to diseases of the potato seeds, and your target market.  It is important that you purchase your potato seeds from certified potato seed suppliers. If you buy poor quality potato seeds, your potatoes will not grow to their full potential and you will have poor yields. Potatoes take 14-20 weeks to mature depending on their type. The cost of acquiring potato seeds should be included in your potato business plan. Potatoes are grown from seed potatoes; these are young tubers. Potatoes can also be grown from seed pieces i.e. parts of other potatoes.

Intended Use, Climatic And Soil Conditions Determine Choice Of Potato Variety

You should consider the climate of where you intend to propagate them. You also have to consider the soil profile. For instance there are potato varieties that prefer generally wet conditions and clay soil. Then there are potato varieties that are best suited for dry conditions and sandy soils. Then the intended use matters. For example, there are potato varieties that are well suited for the fresh market. There are varieties that are ideal for keeping for extended periods of time. There are also atypical (often called specialty) potato varieties e.g. potatoes with non-conventional colours.

Certified And Damage-Free Potato Seeds Are Imperative

Source your potato seed from reputable sources. The thrust here is to get potato seeds that are certified. Certified potato seeds are usually fast-growing and produce substantial yields. The potatoes are more likely to have higher market than from non-certified ones. Check to see whether or not the potato seed has physical damages. Age-wise you need young or middle-aged seed; they come with a high likelihood of good yields. Good potato seeds must have considerable and healthy sprouts.

Farming Inputs

Farming inputs required for potato farming business include herbicides, for effective weed control at your farm. Pesticides and fungicides are required for protecting your potato plants against insects and fungi. Fertilizers are required to support the efficient growth of your potatoes, by providing all the nutrients needed by potatoes to grow to their full potential. The costs of acquiring all these inputs should be included in your potato farming business plan.

Pest And Disease Management

Good agronomical practices.

Incorporate an integrated pest management regiment when carrying out potato farming business. Strict adhere to good agronomical practices is key to this. Examples of these are choosing the right potato variety; particularly those with pest or disease resistance. Good seed selection, choosing the right soil type, the right climate, and so forth are essential too. Practising crop rotation also plays a huge role. Regular weeding and an insistence on hygiene contribute here. For example, ensuring soil does not splash and settle on potato leaves is an insistence on hygiene.

Biological Pest Management And Control

For starters you can provide physical barriers against pests e.g. mulch and nets. You can also promote the proliferation of insects or animals that feed off pests. For example, beetles feed off of most surface insect pests. You can also plant vegetation or crops nearby that harbour such insects or animals. Alternatively, you can just find ways to bring them into the mix. Another possible approach is to physically kill or ward off pests. The aim is to exhaust all biological options of potato farming pest management before jumping onto chemical methods.

Disease Control – A Function Of 3 Factors You Must Manage

There are 3 major types of potato diseases namely, bacterial, fungal, and viral. Fungal diseases are best prevented because once they show up, getting rid of them is a tall order.

Physical Damage

Physical damage to your potato crops makes the vulnerable. Thus you must ensure that your potato crops are free from damage. You must also remove any damaged crops as they can ignite disease outbreaks. Bacterial and viral diseases often stem from damaged or infected potato tubers. This calls on you to regularly inspect your potato crops, daily at best.

Presence Of Pathogens

Diseases can break out due to pathogens being around. Pests are one of the culprits which are why they must be dealt with. Having dirt around or poor agronomical practices can create room for pathogens. Again, inspection of potatoes is pivotal in spotting the presence of pathogens.

Enabling Environment

Pathogens prefer certain environments for them to grow and multiply. For example, water logging on your potato farm can create an enabling environment for pathogens. Poor aeration can create generally warmer temperatures which can promote pathogens as well. Always check for any indication of an enabling environment for pathogens on the potato farm.

Farm Workers

When doing potato farming business, you will need to hire part time farm workers as and when necessary. The duties which they will do include line marking; sprouting; ploughing; planting; grading and packing;  reredging; top dressing; discing ; herbiciding and pesticiding. The part time farm workers will be paid according to the number of days worked.  You also require supervisors, farm manager, finance & accounting staff, and logistics staff depending on the scale of your potato farming business. The wages and salaries of your workers should be included in your potato farming business plan.

Harvesting And Storage Of Potatoes

Potatoes take on average 90 or more days to mature depending on the variety. Though harvesting can start as early as at 60 days for young potatoes. Potatoes harvested much later are the mature or storage potatoes. Flowering and foliage yellowing (eventually dying or falling off) is the major indicator of readiness for harvesting. Potato harvesting must be done under dry and warm conditions. This pertains to the soil and weather. Forks are often used to dig potatoes out when harvesting.

The elementary way to store potatoes is to delay harvesting them. Once harvested, the ideal general storage environment for potatoes must be moderately humid and dark. The temperature should be between 15ºC and 21ºC. If you intend to store your potatoes for much longer you need more humidity and temperature to be around 5ºC. You can keep them in netty sacks or dull paper bags. Care must be taken to initially exclude and regularly check for damaged or infected potatoes.

Capital for Potato Farming Business

The amount of capital required for potato farming business depends on the scale of the project. You can get a loan from the bank, or funding from investors, to use as capital to start your potato farming business. If you plan to raise capital from investors and a loan from the bank, you need a good potato farming business plan. If you don’t have access to investors and bank loan, you can use your personal savings and start small, and grow your business overtime. Potato farming is very profitable, so if you reinvest the profits you get, you can quickly grow. Even if you are not planning to get a loan, you should still get a potato farming business plan to guide you in starting and operating the business. It is essential for you to have a potato farming business plan before you venture into the potato farming business, so that you know all the costs involved and you make an informed decision.

Marketing Potatoes

Take advantage of strategic events or locations such as farmers markets. Also use the internet and social media to market your potatoes.  Differentiate your potato produce by diversifying your packaging. Using netted sacks is cost-effective, is breathable and allows customers to inspect. You can even propagate several potato varieties to diversify your range. You can also diversify based on size or age (e.g. young or mature). Be creative with your display space or spot when selling potatoes to attract customers. Consider adding value-added potato products to your product range e.g. fries. This can draw more customers.

The market for potatoes is very huge and is ever increasing. The annual global demand of potatoes is 400 million tonnes. That’s a lot! You can supply your potatoes to individual households, schools, restaurants, hotels, companies, supermarkets, organizations, events etc. The potato business plan ought to include a proper marketing plan to use in your potato farming business.

Advantages Of Potato Farming Business

Potatoes are generally easy to propagate and do not always require much growing space. They are nutrient-rich which is why they are sought-after. That is also coupled with their economic value. This makes it usually easier to get funding or support plus there is a huge market for them. With the right conditions they can be stored for months thus guaranteeing food security. Potatoes have countless value-added products that can be made from them.

To increase and guarantee your chances of success in potato farming business you must consult experts whenever in doubt. Potato farming is so popular globally that you are never too far from relevant experts. The garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) principle is key in potato farming. Be meticulous in your choice and application of all the necessary inputs. For instance, poor seed selection can ruin everything else.

Pre-Written Potato Farming Business Plan  (PDF, Word And Excel): Comprehensive Version, Short Funding/Bank Loan Version and Automated Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the potato farming business, we encourage you to purchase our well-researched and comprehensive potato farming business plan. We introduced the business plans after discovering that many were venturing into the potato production business without enough knowledge and understanding of how to run the potato farming business, how to farm the potatoes, lack of understanding of the financial side of the business, lack of understanding of : the industry, the risks involved , costs and profitability of the business; which often leads to disastrous losses.

The StartupBiz Global potato farming business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run your potato farming business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as you will be aware of all the costs involved in setting up and running the potato business.

Uses of the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The potato business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your potato farming business
• As a potato farming business proposal
• Assessing profitability of the potato farming business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Potato Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The potato business plan include, but not limited to:

• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortization)
• Risk Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Market Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (Including technical aspects of how to farm the potatoes, fertilizer requirements etc)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some people in potato farming business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your potato farming business

The Pre-written potato farming business plan package consist of 4 files

• Potato Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive Version – 87 Pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive Version – 87 Pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan Funding/Bank Loan Version- Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan/funding – 41 pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel File)

The business plan can be used in any country and can be easily edited. The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of hectares, selling price of  the potatoes etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Click below to download the Contents Page of the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF)

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Get the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

Click Buy Now  below to purchase using Paypal, Credit Card, or Debit Card. After you have purchased, you will immediately see the download link for the business plan package on the screen. You will also immediately get an email with the business plan download link. The Pre-written business plan package (PDF, Word, and Excel) costs $30 only!

If you want to purchase multiple business plans at once then click here: Business Plans Store.

The business plan package is a zipped compressed file containing the PDF, Word and Excel documents. To open the package after downloading it, just right click, and select Extract All. If you have any problems in downloading and opening the files, email us on [email protected] and we will assist you.

We wish you the best in your potato farming business! Check out our collection of business plans  , and more business ideas .

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Potato Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector

Do you want to start a potato farm and need to write a business plan ? If YES, here is a sample potato farming business plan template & feasibility report.

A potato farming business is one of the businesses in the farming industry that is bound to continue to succeed because potatoes are consumed by almost everybody in the United States, it is considered a stable food. Potato farming is known to be a profitable business and over the years, it has evolved from small scale backyard farming to a global industry.

Potato farming business comes with its own fair share of challenges, but that does not rule out the fact that it is indeed a profitable business venture. An aspiring entrepreneur can either choose to start on a small scale or on a large scale depending on their financial status.

A Sample Potato Farming Business Plan Template 

1. industry overview.

Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm (24 in) high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens.

The tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are generally grown from seed potatoes, and tubers are grown to be free from disease and to provide consistent and healthy plants. To be disease free, the areas where seed potatoes are grown are selected with care.

In the US, this restricts production of seed potatoes to only 15 states out of all 50 states where potatoes are grown. These locations are selected for their cold, hard winters that kill pests and summers with long sunshine hours for optimum growth.

The potato farming industry grows potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams. Potatoes are a staple food product in many parts of the world and can also be used to in the manufacture of other products, including processed snack foods, alcoholic spirits and animal feed.

Potatoes are the most widely produced vegetable in the united states and form a well-accepted component of prepared dishes and snack foods. In fact, over 50.0 percent of the annual potato crop is destined to become french fries, with 60.0 percent of industry revenue stemming from sales to food processors.

Overall, potato producers have been working to reduce production to uplift potato prices, which has had a mixed effect on industry revenue growth. Sweet potatoes’ popularity has increased in recent years, while that of white potatoes has decreased somewhat; according to the latest full-year data.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 30,484 licensed and registered commercial potato farms responsible for employing about 45,701 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $5 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at -1.5 percent between 2013 and 2018.

A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that the net effect of reduced prices has stalled the Potato Farming industry’s growth over the five years to 2018. Moreover, the appreciation of the US dollar has made potatoes more expensive and less competitive on the global market, resulting in constrained export volumes.

The industry is in a constant balancing act with downstream markets, trying to keep its output at levels that will yield desirable selling prices.

However, this is not a surefire strategy; for example, a bumper crop in 2012 led to a surplus, causing prices to drop. Over the five years to 2023, industry growth is expected to be driven primarily by crop price appreciation and increases in export volumes.

Lastly, with commercial potato farming it will pay you not to only cultivate potato but to start a complimentary business like potato processing plant. The bottom line is that if you have enough farming land and you are interested in maximizing commercial potato farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is a registered commercial potato farm that will be based in the outskirts of Green Bay, Wisconsin – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure a suitable farm land to start our commercial potato farming.

Our commercial potato farm is a going to be a standard commercial potato farm hence will be involved in both commercial potato cultivation, processing and packaging.

We have put plans in place that will help us launch a standard and world-class potato processing plant within the first three years of officially running Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. We will process and package potato and ensure that they flood the market in the United States.

We want to compete with the best in the industry which is why aside from the fact that we’ve secured the required land and farming equipment and machines, we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to fit into the picture of the 21 st century commercial potato farm workforce that we want to build.

We are in the commercial potato farming business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the industry to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is well positioned to become one of the leading commercial potato farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and farm machineries to run the farm with.

We have put process and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to commercial potato farming. Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is owned by Mr. Garry Benjamin and his immediate family members. The farm cum business will be financed by Garry Benjamin and his immediate family members.

Before starting Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc., Garry Benjamin has worked with some of the leading commercial farms and food processing plants in the United States of America; he has a degree (B.Sc.) in Agriculture Science from University of Wisconsin.

3. Our Products and Services

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is a world class commercial farm that is committed to cultivating both organic and non – organic potato for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in business to produce both food and raw materials for people, animals and industries.

We will also ensure that we operate a standard potato processing and packaging plant as part of our complimentary business.

We are in this line of business to make profits, and we will ensure that we do all that is allowed by the law of the United States of America to achieve our business goals and objectives. These are the areas we will concentrate on in our commercial potato farms. If need arises, we will definitely cultivate related crops;

• Cultivation of different variety of potato (organic and non – organic)
• Processing potatoes

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to become one of the top 5 commercial potato farms not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is a world class commercial potato farms that is in business to cultivate potato in commercial quantities both organic and non – organic and processed potato for both the United States market and the international market.
• We want our well – packaged potato to flood the United States.

Our Business Structure

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is a commercial potato farm that intends starting small in Green Bay – Wisconsin, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading commercial potato farms in the industry.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of world class business we want to own. At Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc., we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stakeholders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the management of the farm. In view of the above, Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

Potato Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

• Potato Processing and Packaging Plant Manager
• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Field Employees
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections
• Ensure compliance during project execution
• Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all section
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of crops
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
• Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied.
• Oversee the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections.
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the farm
• Serves as internal auditor for the farm
• Responsible for managing the potato cultivation section of the farm
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Work closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Potato Processing and Packaging Manager/Supervisor

• Responsible for managing the potato processing and packaging section of the farm

Sales and Marketing Officer

• Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts
• Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company policy
• Responsible for handling business research, marker surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represent the company in strategic meetings
• Help increase sales and growth for the farm

Field Workers/Contract Staff

• Responsible for preparing farm land for potato cultivation
• Responsible for watering the potato crop
• Weeding or fertilizer and/or pest control application
• Handles farm implements and machines as instructed by the section manager / supervisor
• Assist in handling the harvest of potato
• Carries out task in line with the stated job description
• Assist in transport working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

Client Service Executive/Front Desk Officer

• Welcomes guests and clients to the farm by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
• Receives parcels/documents for Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.
• Distribute mails in Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.

6. SWOT Analysis

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. do not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis. We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard potato farm that will favorably compete in the United States of America.

We are quite aware that there are several potato farms all over Green Bay – Wisconsin and even in the same location where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be equipped to confront our threats.

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in the commercial farming industry to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.;

Our strength as a commercial potato farm is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants who deal in potatoes) in the commercial farms industry. We have some of the latest commercial farming machines, tools and potato processing equipment that will help us cultivate different species of potatoes in commercial quantities with less stress.

Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in Green Bay – Wisconsin under our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new commercial potato farm in the United States, and perhaps the fact that we decided to diversify our farming activities could count against us initially. We are aware of this and from our projection will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified, we know that there are loads of individuals who consume potatoes in different forms, animals that feed on potatoes and manufacturing industries that make use potatoes as raw materials both in the United States of America and other parts of the world.

We will ensure that we maximize the opportunities available to commercial potato farmers. As prices increase with increased demand, potato farmers will begin to experience revenue growth.

Some of the threats and challenges that we are likely going to face when we start our own commercial potato farm are global economic downturn that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters, unfavorable government policies and the arrival of a competitor that cultivates same crop as our farm within same location.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

One of the common trends in the commercial potato farming business is that most players in the industry are no longer concentrating only on non – organic potato farming. They now find it easier to run both organic and non – organic potato cultivation.

It is fact that despite that organic food is expensive, the sale for organic food is on the increase and it is indeed profitable.

Commercial potato farming has been in existence since time immemorial, but it does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; commercial potato farmers are exploring new technology to continue to improve the cultivation process. Mechanized farming has indeed increased the amount food produced by farmers.

In November 2014, the USDA approved a genetically modified potato developed by J.R. Simplot Company, which contains genetic modifications that prevent bruising and produce less acrylamide when fried than conventional potatoes; the modifications do not cause new proteins to be made, but rather prevent proteins from being made via RNA interference.

Lastly, it is a common trend to find standard commercial potato farmers run a potato processing plant business alongside their farm. It is a means of maximizing profits in the business.

8. Our Target Market

The end consumers of potato and also those who benefit from the business value chain is all encompassing. Almost every household consumes potato.

In essence a commercial potato farmer should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible including hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, livestock farmers and production companies that make use of potato as raw materials.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world. We will also target the following customers;

• Breweries (Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit.)
• Livestock feed production companies (potatoes are used as fodder for livestock)
• Adhesive production companies (Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards.)
• Pharmaceutical companies (Potato skins, along with honey, are used as a remedy for burns)

Our Competitive Advantage

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling commercial farm produce including potatoes, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States and in other parts of the world.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable potato farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round potato farms that will also include potato processing plant.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is in the commercial farming business for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.;

• Sale of potatoes (both organic and non – organic)
• Sale of processed potatoes in the form of chips (crisp).

10. Sales Forecast

We have perfected our sales and marketing strategies and we are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set target of generating enough income/profits from the year first of operation and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to examine the commercial potato farm market and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some workable assumptions.

Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.;

• First Fiscal Year (FY1): $300,000
• Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $450,000
• Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $750,000

N.B : This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters, and unfavorable government policies . Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some commercial potato farms hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their potatoes as at when due; potatoes spoil within a short time after harvest and if they are not sold or processed, they will get so soft that it won’t be good for direct consumption.

In view of that, we decided to set up a standard potato processing plant to help us maximize profits. Our sales and marketing team will be recruited base on their vast experience in the industry and they will be trained on a regular basis to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.

We want to build a standard and world – class potato farm that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients. In summary, Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. will adopt the following strategies in marketing our commercial potato farm produce;

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to grocery stores, potato merchants, livestock farmers, production companies that rely on supply of potato as raw materials et al.
• Advertise our business in agriculture and food related magazines and websites
• List our commercial potato farms on yellow pages ads
• Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means to promote the business. Below are the platforms you can leverage on to boost our commercial potato farm brand and to promote and advertise our business;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
• Install our Billboards in strategic locations all around Green Bay – Wisconsin
• List our commercial potato farms in local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our commercial potato farms in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Some of the factors that will help you sell your potato at the right price that will guarantee that you make profits is dependent on your strategy while some of the factors are beyond your control. For example, if the climatic condition is unfavorable and if there are natural disaster in the location where you have your commercial potato farm, then it will directly affect the harvest of potato and also the prices of your farm produce.

Over and above, if you want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then you should ensure that you choose a good location for your commercial farm, choose good breed that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running your farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to your farm as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, you would have successfully eliminated the cost of transporting your harvest to the market.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market is to sell our produce at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our potatoes are going to be what other commercial potato farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain, the nature of commercial farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their farm produces based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into loss.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
• Payment via mobile money transfer
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our client make payment for purchasing our potatoes or processed potatoes without any stress on their part.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a commercial potato farm with potato processing plant, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. Factor such as the capacity of potato processing plant you want to own and the size of the commercial potato farm.

In view of that, here are some of the basic areas we will spend our startup capital in setting up our commercial potato farm;

• The total fee for incorporating the business in United States of America – $750.
• The total cost for payment of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $9,400
• The amount needed to acquire / lease a farm land – $50,000
• The amount required for preparing the farm land – $70,000
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment / machines / fencing et al – $30,000
• The amount required for purchase of the first set of potato seedlings et al – $20,000
• The amount required to set up a standard potato processing plant within the farm facility – 100,000
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The cost of launching an official website – $600
• The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) to start a standard commercial potato farm with potato processing plant business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.

Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. will be owned and managed by Garry Benjamin and his immediate family members.

They are the sole financier of the firm, but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the startup capital for the business to just three major sources. These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc.;

• Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $350,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of their employees, their investment strategy and business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our farm produce a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while. Garry Benjamin® Potato Farms, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of.

Our organization’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts : Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Green Bay – Wisconsin and preparing the farm land: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• writing of business plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Printing of Packaging and Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building/construction of fence et al: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in the industry (agriculture farm produce merchants, fertilizer suppliers and transporter / haulage companies et al): Completed

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Potato Farm Business Plan (PDF, Excel, Word)

Description.

• Executive summary
• Company overview
• Products and services
• Operation plan
• Market and industry overview
• Sales & marketing plan
• Financial plan
• Risk management plan
• Potential funding sources

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BUSINESS PLAN FOR IRISH POTATOES AND WHEAT PRODUCTION FOOTPRINT LIMITED

Footprint Limited is a company limited by shares, it was established and registered in 2004 June 10th under the Companies Ordinance (Cap 212) and given certificate of incorporation No. 49143. It has Tax Payer Identification Number (TIN) 105-110-227 and the business licence number 01743253. The company is owned by Terence Hillary and Joachim Kimaryo with half shares each. The capital of the company was TZS 1,000,000/- during the time of establishment, divided into 1,000 (one thousand) shares of TZS 1,000/- each. In the year 2014 the company had a one year and half contract of working on behalf of ministry of health and social welfare on provision of consultancy services for implementation of a social marketing campaign for rural food fortification pilot project. The project was in response to presidential call to improve nutritional status of Tanzanians whereby a pilot project was designed trying to curb the lack of vitamins and minerals among communities, which resulted into people’s growth stagnation, diseases and ultimately death. The project was implemented in six districts in three regions (1 district in Njombe, 2 in Iringa and 3 in Arusha). After the consultancy services for development and implementation of social Marketing Campaign for rural Food Fortification Pilot Project phase out, In early January of 2016 the company engaged in Irish potatoes Production Project with total investment costs of TZS 171,211,199/-.in this project the company managed successfully cultivation of 20 acres of Irish potatoes crop in Iwambi and extra 100 acres of Irish potatoes in Tukuyu, construction of storage facilities and irrigation infrastructure along Iwambi area in Mbeya Municipality. Currently, Footprint Limited seeks to expand its farming operations on their recently 200 acres farm acquired at Ifunda village, Mafinga district in Iringa region. Therefore Footprint Limited seeks to invest in best irrigation farming practices based on Drip Irrigation scheme, Purchase of Bunker Harvester SE 75-20, Rotary Hiller GF 200, Ridging Hiller GH and Potato planter GL 32 E. To enable this project to run smoothly the company require the total investment costs TZS 673,689,388/- where by TZS 232,789,788/- will be company’s equity contribution and the rest TZS 440,899,600/- will be financed by loan with interest rate of 14% repayable for two years with six months grace period 8 | P a g e Footprint Limited based on its past performance and investment in best farming practices through its human resources and technology is confident of attaining a net profit return of TZS 173,824,869/- in the first year .The net present value of the project (NPV) is 197,533,565 and internal rate of return is (IRR) is 42% at the rate of 22%.Hence Financing this project is sought to make this viable and lucrative venture a reality.

Related Papers

eliya kapalasa

Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology

Melchior Mlambiti

Precious Dirisu

This study examines economic of Irish potato production in jos south local government area of Plateau state. A purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting four districts in the study area. Data were collected from 80 respondents randomly selected from Du, Bukuru, Vwang and Kuru districts. It was collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgeting and multiple regression analysis. The result revealed that 32.5% of the respondents were between 32 – 36 years of age with a mean of 36.6 years. In addition, the results indicated that 65% of the respondent were male and 71.3% were married with the mean family sie of 7.8 persons. The average year of experience in Irish potato production was 14.8 years. The result also revealed that 80% of the respondent sourced their capital from personal savings. The average farm size was 1.63 hectares. The total costs and returns were N 54,145.94 and N 131,513.75 per hectare respectively. The net farm income and return per naira invested were N77,367.81 and N1.43 per hectare respectively. The operating, fixed and gross ratio were 0.40, 0.01 and 0.41 respectively. The result of the regression analysis on socio-economic factors influencing gross income the cobb douglas production function was chosen as the lead equation with R2 0.819 and F- value of 29.9 which was significant at P < 0.001. The cost of labour had positive coefficient was significant at P < 0.01, cost of fertilizer (P <0.01). Regression analysis on production factors influencing Irish potato production output using linear functional form indicated that R2 was 0.722 and F- value of 31.56 which was significant at (P<0.001). fertilizer was significant at P < 0.001, farm size was significant (P < 0.001). However poor storage facilities, instability in market price and inadequate input among others were the major problem associated with Irish potato production in the study area. The study recommended that formation of cooperatives society or farmers groups to handle marketing problems.

Journal of Development and …

Hosea Mpogole

Oluwole Fatunbi , Lawrence Mose

The importance of sweet potato as a staple crop in Africa has been highlighted at the African Union level. The crop is ranked among the high-priority crops for food security and poverty alleviation for the urban and rural poor. Currently, Kenya has an estimated area of 90,000 ha under sweet potato; the corresponding estimated production was 1.2 million tonnes compared to 880,000 tonnes in 2008 (FAOSTAT, 2015).This book is expected to help understand the concepts and techniques of sweet potato production, utilization, and marketing as well as the existing innovations and opportunities for further innovations. The book is aimed at assisting all stakeholders, including the poor, to access information on nutrition and to boost local economies. Innovations and challenges at various levels along the value chain are discussed as well as suggestions on ways of overcoming or reducing their effects. I encourage everyone involved in sweet potato activities at any level of the value chain to read this book, which contains much useful information.

Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 39, 1, pp. 81-100

Stefano Ponte

Analysing the dynamics of agrarian change and economic diversification is central for understanding the current transformation of African countries under market reforms. This article examines the complex changes taking place in the densely populated Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, and places the Uluguru case in the context of wider debates dealing with market liberalisation, economic diversification, poverty, and inequality. It argues that rural households are not `trapped in decline' on the Uluguru Mountains, as depicted in previous literature. Under the harsh realities of farming in this area, households can improve their livelihoods in three ways ± short of migrating and in addition to relying on remittances. These are to expand land cultivated in the surrounding plains, to experiment with alternative farming systems, and to increase non-farm income. Uluguru households are doing all of the above, with a certain degree of success. Economic diversification can thus play an important role in improving rural livelihoods in Tanzania and beyond, but this process is more likely to take place in locations with well established economic ties and relatively good access to major markets.

Potato Research

Ricardo Labarta

Dismas Mwaseba

Daniel H Ngoma , Ramadhani Kupaza

Small hydropower resources can play a very important role in providing electricity and power to the remote and rural areas of Tanzania where there is no feasible future for the grid extension. These types of small schemes can generate electricity up to a range of 1 MW. Tanzania has substantial number of small hydropower potential sites for electricity generation and to date it is estimated to be around 315 MW, however, only about 25MW (8%) of this potential have been developed so far, which means several number of potential sites, have not been studied and documented or have not been developed. This research presents the results of the feasibility study of six (6) untapped and un-studied small hydropower potential sites in Tanzania. The methodology used in this research was based on site visits, data measurements and collection (hydrological and Energy demand), information gathering, interviews and consultation, data analysis, designs and cost estimation. The results showed that all the six (6) small hydropower sites studied are feasible and can potentially been developed to produce and supply cost effective electricity to the local off-grid areas as small hydropower plants.

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Small Business Trends

How to start potato farming.

Growing potatoes for a living is a big enterprise like some other agricultural business ideas . The American harvest was worth $4.06 billion USD in 2021. With potato prices rising , these are good crops, and commercial farming is fairly straightforward.

Simple Steps to Start a Potato Farm

Starting a farm that grows potatoes is about more than the irrigation requirement and having good drainage. Here are some essential steps when you’re wondering how to start a farm that raises potatoes.

Potatoes are members of the nightshade family which also includes eggplant and peppers. They get mashed and prepared in many ways.

Small farms on the rise include those selling fresh sweet potatoes.

Plan The Business

Name and brand your business.

Whether you’re selling at farmer’s markets or your own retail store, your brand name needs to be unique. The name needs to convey emotions.

Form a Legal Entity and Register Your Potato Business

Before you start harvesting, you might need to register your business. If you don’t you can miss out on some tax benefits.

A legal entity dictates the structure . Partnerships, Corporations and a Limited Liability Company (LLC) are a few choices.

Sort Out Taxes, Licenses, Permits and Insurance

Here’s an essential place to get started sorting out what you need for this kind of farming.

Create a Potato Farm Business Plan

With potato prices rising, sales have increased in dollar value in Q4 2022. You’ll need a business plan to finance these plants for your business.

A competitive analysis is critical. Highlight how your potato yield is different from the competition.

Do Market Research

Niches like organic agriculture business ideas are always in demand. A roadside farm stand is a good way to sell off the crop you harvest.

Here’s a link to how COVID-19 impacted demand.

Open a Business Bank Account

Opening a business bank account is a crucial step in starting your potato farming business.

It is essential for keeping your personal and business finances separate, which will make it easier for accounting and tax purposes. Before opening an account, research different banks and their fees, minimum balance requirements, and other features that may be beneficial for your business.

Some banks offer special accounts for agricultural businesses with features like low transaction fees and higher interest rates.

Make sure to have all the necessary documents ready, such as your business registration, tax identification number, and other legal documents.

Having a business bank account will not only help in managing your finances but also make your business look more professional to your suppliers and customers.

Market the Business

Whether you want to advertise digitally or in other mediums, stress that potatoes are healthy . Don’t forget short-form videos too.

Look into Hiring Employees

As your potato farming business grows, you may need to hire employees to help with various tasks such as planting, harvesting, and marketing. Utilize social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to post job openings.

Ensure that the job descriptions are short, specific, and include all the necessary requirements and responsibilities. Consider using employee referrals and applicant tracking software to streamline the hiring process.

Additionally, provide proper training to your employees to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities, and the safety protocols of the farm. Having a skilled and motivated workforce will help in the success and growth of your potato farming business.

Research Where you Could Sell Your Products

Potatoes or solanum tuberosum are very popular with the “food enthusiast.” Doing some research can help you define a target market. Social media analytics is a great place to start.

Learn Everything You Can About Potato Cultivation

You’ll also need to have a good idea about production. About the nitty gritty of the crop and things like planting. Did you know this crop even has seeds?

Acquire the Necessary Equipment for Growing Potatoes and Harvesting Potatoes

You need the right machines if you’re going to work with potatoes. That includes everything from a crop sprayer to a harvester. Here’s a list to get started. Remember potatoes grow in the ground on stems.

Read on to find out more about what you need to do to get started. And remember potatoes turn green when they aren’t stored properly.

Selecting the Right Potato Variety

Before you dive into potato farming, it’s crucial to select the right variety of potatoes to grow. Start by identifying the preferences of your target market. Are they looking for starchy potatoes for baking, waxy varieties for boiling, or sweet potatoes for a healthier option? Consider the culinary trends and dietary habits in your area to choose varieties that will be in high demand.

Researching Climate Compatibility

Different potato varieties thrive under different climatic conditions. Research the varieties that are well-suited to your region’s climate, including factors such as temperature ranges and rainfall patterns. Opting for climate-compatible varieties can significantly increase your chances of a successful harvest and reduce the need for extensive interventions to manage weather-related challenges.

Soil Preparation and Fertilization

Soil quality plays a pivotal role in potato farming. Conduct a soil test to determine the pH level and nutrient composition of your land. Potatoes generally prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 5.0 to 7.0). Based on the test results, you may need to adjust the soil pH or enrich the soil with the necessary nutrients before planting.

Choosing the Right Fertilizer

Select a fertilizer that complements the nutrient needs of your potato crop. Potatoes require a balanced supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for optimal growth. Consider using organic fertilizers like compost or well-rotted manure to enhance soil fertility and structure, promoting healthy root development and robust yields.

Implementing Pest and Disease Management Strategies

Pests and diseases can severely impact potato crops. Implement a regular monitoring schedule to detect any signs of infestation or disease early on. Early detection allows for timely interventions, which can be critical in preventing widespread damage.

Integrating Natural Predators and Biocontrols

Consider integrating natural predators and biocontrols into your pest management strategy. This approach can help maintain ecological balance and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. For diseases, practice crop rotation and select disease-resistant potato varieties to minimize risks.

Purchase Seed Potatoes and Grow Potatoes

Planting starts here. Order seed potatoes online or from a store. Tubers begin at a seed rate of 800-1000 kg/acre. When you’re buying potato seeds for your business, remember a sweet potato vine is more ornamental than practical.

Here’s another tip. A seed potato usually isn’t treated with a sprout inhibitor.

Harvest Potatoes

Harvesting starts when leaves turn yellow brown.

Store Potatoes

Ventilated bins are the best bet. Minimum temperatures of around 55 to 65 degrees is best.

Sell the Potato Crop

Cold storage facilities allow for moisture retention and some time after these plants have been harvested from the ground. These facilities allow quality products to stay fresh until farmers can get a good price.

Expand Your Business

Planting potatoes is just the beginning. You want to expand your business. Choosing the right seed potatoes makes a big difference.

Dust seed potatoes with sulfur when possible. You can even plant potatoes in the fall.

The Steps in Growing Potatoes

The number of businesses planting plants has grown 1.4% between 2018 and 2023. Potatoes are big in Idaho, Washington and North Dakota.

Following are the steps this crop requires.

Having a Well Drained Soil

Choosing the wrong soil can lead to a damaged or misshapen tuber. The type of ground you choose is important for the plants.

Well-drained loam soil is best.

Planting the Seed Potatoes

Healthy plants should grow 10 to 20 inches apart from each other.

The best planting time is before the last spring frost.

Hilling the Potato Plants

When the potato vines reach 6 or 8 inches, they need to be hilled. This is another word for covered with loose organic matter. It’s a protective layer placed at ground level.

Irrigation of Potato Crops

Sprinkler systems are used to irrigate the tuber sprouts. A solid set or wheel line system can be used for each plant. Drip systems can prevent the spread of disease.

Manure helps tubers to grow in the soil. Livestock manure has been used for years. Remember the best pH range for the soil can dip as low as 5. Be prepared to test to find the best acidic soil. Fertilize each plant on the fourth week after the seeds have been growing tubers. Adding mulch is also good for tuber health

There are a few different things you need to consider for good management. But when the tubers start to bulk up, weeds in the soil can be an issue.

Here are a few solutions to choose from.

Harvesting Potatoes

Usually, you can start harvesting when the foliage turns yellow.

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is important if you’re looking for a healthy harvest. One year you harvest a crop of potatoes and the next year something different like spinach or lettuce.

Common Pests and Diseases to Watch Out For on a Potato Farm

Tubers and the plant can be prone to pests and disease . Like the following:

• Potato Scab: Dark brown patches are a symptom of this problem. It affects tubers from around the world. From South America to New England.
• Late Blight: Fungal problems are the culprit here. These water molds develop in the soil and get at the potato plant.

How to Start Potato Farming Summary

Potato farming in the united states.

You’ll want to know how to make money farming, and if the farmers turn a good profit. Retail sales for potato farmers in the United States equaled around 15.6 billion USD in 2022.

There were 22,103 businesses farming potatoes in America in 2023.

Why You Should Start a Potato Farming Business

Potatoes are not just an essential staple in many diets, but they also present a significant business opportunity for aspiring farmers and entrepreneurs. Here’s why diving into potato farming might be the right choice for you:

• High Demand for Potatoes : Potatoes are a staple food in many cultures, ensuring a consistent demand for them in local and international markets. As versatile vegetables, they are used in a myriad of dishes, catering to diverse palates.
• Potential for Profitability : With the U.S. harvest value reaching $4.06 billion in 2021 and retail sales at approximately $15.6 billion in 2022, there’s evident potential for good ROI in the potato farming industry.
• Opportunities for Niche Markets : Beyond traditional potato farming, there’s a demand for organic potatoes, gourmet varieties, and other niche markets like sweet potatoes. Tapping into these can further increase profitability and market share.
• Simple Cultivation Process : Compared to some other crops, potatoes have a fairly straightforward cultivation process. With the right equipment, knowledge, and conditions, one can have a productive yield, making the venture more manageable for newcomers.
• Expansion and Diversification Potential : Potato farming doesn’t have to end at just selling raw produce. There’s potential for value addition – like producing crisps, frozen fries, and other potato products. Moreover, the need for crop rotation means diversifying into other crops, ensuring multiple revenue streams and risk distribution.

How Profitable is Potato Farming?

The profitability of potato farming hinges on several factors, including market demand, production costs, and efficient farming practices. With the industry’s annual cash receipts hitting $4,423 billion in 2023, the sector shows significant economic promise.

However, to capitalize on this opportunity, farmers must stay abreast of market trends, including consumer preferences for organic or specialty potatoes, which can command higher prices. Implementing smart pricing strategies, such as direct sales to consumers through farmers’ markets or CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), can also enhance profitability by cutting out middlemen.

Keeping production costs in check while maximizing yield is crucial for enhancing profitability. This involves strategic investment in high-quality seed potatoes, efficient use of fertilizers and pesticides, and adopting modern farming techniques like precision agriculture.

Implementing crop rotation and soil management practices to maintain soil health can lead to higher yields and reduce the need for costly chemical inputs.

How Much Capital Do You Need for a Potato Farm?

Starting a potato farm requires an initial investment of about $5,000 USD an acre , covering costs such as land preparation, seed potatoes, equipment, and irrigation systems.

However, potential farmers should also account for ongoing expenses like labor, fertilizers, pest control, and harvesting operations. Securing financing through loans, grants, or private investments can help manage these initial and recurring costs.

Potato Farming: The Bottom Line

The bottom line in potato farming extends beyond immediate profits; it encompasses sustainability and environmental stewardship. Adopting sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming, integrated pest management (IPM), and water conservation techniques, can lead to long-term viability and profitability of the farm.

These practices not only improve soil health and reduce environmental impact but also meet the growing consumer demand for sustainably produced food.

Successful potato farming requires a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. Staying informed about advancements in agricultural technology, changing consumer preferences, and environmental challenges is crucial.

Participating in agricultural extension programs, workshops, and online forums can provide valuable insights and foster innovation. Additionally, building a network with other farmers, agricultural experts, and suppliers can offer support and opportunities for collaboration.

In conclusion, potato farming presents a lucrative opportunity for those willing to invest time, capital, and effort into understanding and implementing best practices in agriculture.

By focusing on market demand, efficient production, sustainability, and continuous improvement, potato farmers can achieve profitability and contribute to the food security and sustainability of their communities.

Potato Farm FAQs

How much land is needed for potato cultivation.

You will need 1,500 acres to grow 500 acres of crop. Since you need to rotate the crop.

How Much do Potato Farmers Make?

According to Payscale , $ 65K USD yearly.

How Long do Potatoes Take to Grow?

Around 7 to 8 weeks.

Who is the Biggest Potato Farmer in Idaho?

The Idaho Potato King is Joe Marshall

What Would Be The Potato Crop from 1 Acre?

You can get 8.6 bushels per acre.

How Do You Grow Potatoes with Rot Resistance?

Potato rot is caused by a bacterium in the soil. The best way to prevent it is to avoid overwatering.

Image: Envato Elements

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Starting Potato Farming Business In Zimbabwe and the Business Plan

Posted by StartupBiz Zimbabwe | Apr 2, 2017 | Agriculture Industry , Business Ideas , Business Plans , Starting a Business | 9

In 2012, the government of Zimbabwe declared potatoes as a strategic food security crop, that will now be included in various inputs support schemes. This is because potatoes are a source of carbohydrates and starch which are essential nutrients to the health of the nation. Potatoes are now one of the crops which are important to the food security of Zimbabwe. The government of Zimbabwe has been actively encouraging farmers to venture into the potato farming business. Potato farming has big profit margins which will give meaningful returns to your invested capital. The potatoes are in high demand in Zimbabwe, with the local production failing to meet the local demand. Thus Zimbabwe ends up importing potatoes from other countries like South Africa. Potato farming is a very lucrative and profitable business venture in Zimbabwe.

Before you start the potato farming business, you have to decide how many hectares you want to farm, which type of potatoes you will farm, which season you are going to plant your potatoes, and your target market. The amount of potatoes  you farm will depend on the amount of land and capital you have, and also the size of your target market. You should always carry out a feasibility study, market research and write a business plan before you venture into any business. Do not make the mistake of starting a potato farming business or any other business just because someone is doing it and he/she says it’s profitable. This article will explain how to start a potato farming business in Zimbabwe, and the potato farming business plan.

What you need

Potatoes can be grown on almost on any type of soil, except saline and alkaline soils. Naturally loose soils, which offer the least resistance to enlargement of the tubers, are preferred, and loamy and sandy loam soils that are rich in organic matter, with good drainage and aeration, are the most suitable. The pH of the soil should ideally be in the range of 5.2-6.4 for the optimum growth of the potatoes. Potatoes planted in soil with pH levels  lower than this will produce poor quality tubers and abnormal growth. Potatoes planted in high pH soil will have problems with common scab. Thus before you start farming potatoes on your farm its essential that you check whether the soil is suitable for potato farming. Growing potatoes involves extensive ground preparation. The soil needs to be harrowed until completely free of weed roots. In most cases, three ploughings, along with frequent harrowing and rolling, are needed before the soil reaches a suitable condition: soft, well-drained and well-aerated.

Machinery and Equipment

The machinery you need will depend on the size of your potato farming business. Machinery and equipment needed include tractors, fertilizer spreader equipment, spray equipment, diggers, harvesters, irrigation equipment, scales, bins, boom sprayers, ridgers etc. For the bigger machinery like tractors, you can hire when you want to use them rather than purchasing them. You may also need  grid hydroelectricity energy for the irrigation systems, standby diesel generators for use during power outages, or solar powered irrigation systems. Farmers especially in the rural ares who do not have the modern farming equipment use animal drawn equipment in potato farming. The higher the level of mechanization at your potato farm, the higher the efficiency of your operations, and the profitability of your potato farming business. 

Farming Inputs

There are several farming inputs needed for your potato farming business. Most importantly you need the potato seed. There are several different varieties of potato cultivars which are used in Zimbabwe. The vary in their shape, texture, colour, yield and days to maturity. Thus before you start your potato farming business you have to decide which potato cultivar you want to use. That choice will be determined by the availability of the seeds, the yield of the seeds, the resistance to diseases of the potato seeds, and your target market. The potato cultivars which are used in Zimbabwe include BP1, Amethyst (the most widely grown potato in Zimbabwe), garnet, jasper,pimpernel and diamond potato. Ensure that you buy good healthy potato seed from certified suppliers. It will be a very expensive mistake to buy cheap potato seeds of low quality. Cheap is not always the best. Potatoes take 14-20 weeks to mature depending on their type.

You also require herbicides for your potato farm, for effective weed control at your farm. You may use Dual Magnum 960 EC, Sencor/ Metribuzine, and Agil 100 EC herbicides. Pesticides and fungicides are required for protecting your potato plants against insects and fungi. The types you can use include Fenamiphos 400 EC; Copper Oxy; Dithane M45 among others. Fertilizers are required to support the efficient growth of your potatoes, by providing all the nutrients needed by potatoes to grow to their full potential. The fertilizers you use include Compound B or C and Potassium Nitrate.

You need to hire part time farm workers as and when necessary. The duties which they will do include grading and packing; sprouting; planting; re redging; top dressing; line marking; discing ; ploughing; herbiciding and pesticiding. You will be paying them per number of days worked. You also require supervisors, farm manager, finance & accounting staff, and logistics staff depending on the scale of your potato farming business.

There is huge market for potatoes in Zimbabwe. More than 80 000 tonnes of potatoes are consumed annually in Zimbabwe, and the demand has been on the rise since the dollarisation of the economy in 2009. The potential customers for your potatoes include transporters/middleman (they will come to your farm to buy your poatatoes to resell in the city), hotels, supermarkets, and fast food outlets (for making french fries aka fresh chips), traders & wholesale distributors (E.g. Mbare Musika is the largest market for potatoes, the traders buy potatoes from farmers in bulky for reselling), Fruit and Vegetable open markets, organisations and individuals. The prices of potatoes vary throughout the year depending on market forces ie supply and demand. The price also depends on the size and quality of potatoes. These prices allow very huge profits margins for a potato farming business. The profits you will get depend on the cost of inputs, the yield from your potato farm, and the selling prices of the potatoes.

Pre-Written Potato Farming Business Plan  (PDF, Word And Excel) :Comprehensive Version, Short Bank Loan Version, Automated Excel Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the potato farming business in Zimbabwe, purchase our potato farming business plan. We decided to introduce the business plans after noting that many Zimbabweans were venturing into the potato farming business without a full understanding of the industry, market, how to run the business, the risks involved, profitability of the business and the costs involved, leading to a high failure rate of their businesses.

Our business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run a potato farming business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as the potato farming business plan will lay out all the costs involved in setting up and running the potato farming business. The business plan is designed uniquely for the Zimbabwean market.

I recently used their service am delighted to say I am a happy customer thank you keep it up and God bless with the business

Good job and extensive research on your business plan thank you.

I have been impressed with the level of depth and completeness of your business plans. All product, operational, financial and marketing guidelines are there. Fantastic! Please do add more plans.

I found the business plans very informative, helpful to make appropriate decisions.

The business plan I purchased was well written and you did an extensive research, I am satisfied keep  up the good work guys and I am planning to come back for more other orders.

The StartupBiz business plans are excellent, well prepared, fully detailed. I had not that much of the financial knowledge of the Agri business I wanted to venture into but I can tell you right now that from the moment I went through those farm business plans I had purchased, I started having the real picture of what I was to get in to,what was needed for me to be financially successful and I would want to tell my fellow mates that if you really want the business you want to venture into to be successful I think you need to get one of the StartupBiz Business plan.You wont go wrong with those ones

Very insightful and relevant homegrown solutions. Empowerment begins in the mind and this is it…

Thanks for the business plan, it’s good, it gives me a good direction of my journey, with this I hope I will prosper,  it’s helpful i learnt a lot.

You have been really helpful. Its a rare commodity in Zimbabwe. Keep it up!

You have been such a wonderful help.God bless you,I have somewhere to start now….it’s been a dream come true to embark on this

Uses of the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The potato farming business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your potato farming business
• As a potato farming project proposal
• Assessing profitability of the potatoes business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The business plan includes, but not limited to:

• Market Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Automated Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, loan repayment calculations, start-up costs)
• Marketing Strategy
• Risk Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (e.g. type of land,  type and quantities of inputs required e.t.c.)
• Management of Potatoes
• Operational Strategy
• Why some Zimbabweans in potato farming business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your potato farming business in Zimbabwe

The potato farming business plan includes technical aspects of how to plant and to take care of the potatoes. It also includes a mini-directory with contacts which will prove to be helpful in launching and running your potato farming business. E.g. We will provide the contact details of the companies that produce seeds, fertilizers, herbicides e.t.c.

The Pre-written Potato farming business plan package consist of 4 files

• Potato Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive – 87 pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive – 87 pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan Bank Version – Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan – 36 pages)
• Potato Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel file)

The business plan financials are in USD currency. 

The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of hectares, potato price per KG etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change. 

Get the Potato Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

We decided to make them affordable for anyone who would want a business plan, and the price for pre-written business plans is only ZWL$350 000 for soft copies. When you pay via PayPal, Mastercard or Visa Card, the soft copy costs US$25 .

You can purchase via Paynow using Ecocash, One Money or Telecash. You just click Pay Now  (scroll down)    and you will then be taken to Pay now website where you make the payment. Just follow the instructions; you will be done with the payment process in 2 minutes. We will email the business plan (PDF format, Microsoft word format, and a Microsoft Excel file with the financial statements)  to you within 24 hours, using the email address you provided when you were paying.

If you have a PayPal account, MasterCard or Visa Card , you can purchase the business plan via PayPal.  You just click Buy now  (scroll down) and you will then be taken to PayPal website where you make the payment. Just follow the instructions; you will be done with the payment process in 2 minutes. We will email the business plan (PDF format, Microsoft word format, and a Microsoft Excel file with the financial statements) to you within 24 hours, using the email address you provided when you were paying.

You can also purchase hard copies and/or soft copies at our offices in Harare. Visit  StartupBiz Zimbabwe, Suite 201, 2nd Floor, Morgan House, George Silundika Avenue (between 1st Street & 2nd Street), Harare  . The cost of the business plan is ZWL$350 000 (soft copies).

For any questions, other payment options, email us on [email protected] , call/whatsapp us on +263778798072  (Whatsapp us by clicking the link https://wa.me/263778798072 )  .

Potato Farming Business Plan 

Click Pay Now to purchase using EcoCash, One Money or TeleCash (ZWL$350 000)  

We wish you the best in your potato farming business. Check out  more business ideas and our collection of business plans .  Like us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter , and subscribe to receive notifications of new posts in your email.

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About The Author

StartupBiz Zimbabwe

StartupBiz Zimbabwe is a business research firm based in Zimbabwe. We sell prewritten business plans for various industries including agriculture, transport, manufacturing, retail and education. StartupBiz Zimbabwe also publishes articles on business ideas, business news, business tips, personal finance, entrepreneur interviews and profiles.

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You guys are doing great, keep it up

Thanks guys u a helping a lot .

Keep it up ,it is very encarreging for us who are starting potato farming business

Thank u for the wise ideas. I intend to start potato growing in Mutare {Wastsomba} plz help me with information

great work.

good job done

You are doing a good job. I want to try potatoes

Well done very interesting Will soon get in potato production

That’s great to hear. be sure to share your story.

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