Hydroponics Farm Business Plan

Introduction

FynbosFarm will be a project built around a highly successful businessman and the development and training of skilled and semi-skilled staff in the hydroponics and instant turf market. The project aim is to carry out intensive and high turnover production, off a small area, while providing work and leadership experience for local women.

The company is a combination of cutting edge, high quality, efficient food technology and production. It is committed to the improvement of taste in vegetables and excellent quality and nutritional value. The company will provide education, experience and research in the hydroponic field. It has the experience and extensive knowledge of well-known grower Mike Shelly as a consultant. This project will be KZN-based, and will supply vegetables for the national and international markets, and instant turf for the local market.

Products

The 4 main crops to be grown will be instant turf, long life tomatoes, cucumbers, and coloured peppers.

• Tomatoes: 4ha under plastic which will produce 2100 000 kgs per year
• Cucumbers: 1ha under plastic which will produce 205 000 kgs per year
• Peppers: 1ha under plastic which will produce 250 000 kgs per year
• Turf: 30ha in the open.

Financial considerations

The company is seeking both short-term and long-term funding to finance the purchase of a new farm and development costs of the project. This will cover startup expenses and first year loses. It is estimated that the company will begin to make a profit in year 2 of operations. The project is expected to begin production within 8 months from start of the first tunnel being erected.

1.1 Objectives

The objective of this project is to establish an intensive farm, producing high-quality produce for both the national and international market year round.

1.2 Mission

FynbosFarm is a KZN-based company with a two-fold mission:

• to produce high quality, nutritional, and flavourful vegetables for consumption in both local and international markets.
• to create opportunities for leadership and highly productive teamwork for local women who work on the farm.

The women working on the farm will be organized into intensive work groups, and each group will be paid incentives on production and performances, in addition to the standard wages.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Efficient production utilizing greenhouses.
• No existing projects of this magnitude in the KZN region.
• Experience in the vegetable industry goes back to 1996.