List the 10 most lucrative and legal crops that small farms can grow. Diverse teams run many small farms. Growing crops that work in your market, space, and time would be best. Many factors will affect your decision on which crops to grow, including climate and soil. This list was compiled by considering its price per kg, growing cycle, and yield per square meter. We also considered labour intensity and annual income per acre.
Wasabi
A 100-gram Stem of real Wasabi is about $50 (Rs 3500) in the international market. Wasabi can still be purchased wholesale for around $160 ( Rs11000) per kilogram. After the plant is ground into a paste, fresh Wasabi will only be at its best for around 15 minutes. It loses its flavour after that time. If you have tried Wasabi products that weren’t made right before you, you know it wasn’t real. Real Wasabi doesn’t have a root but a swollen stalk. The plant contains two ingredients that give it its distinctive spicy flavour. However, the compound is unstable and quickly breaks down. Leaves and stems, both of the plant parts, are edible. Wasabi prefers freshwater streams and is challenging to grow. Because it is susceptible to diseases, growing large quantities in a greenhouse can be difficult. Wasabi is considered the most challenging crop to grow. Wasabi’s reputation is reflected in the high price of crops.
Flowers Cultivation
Although flower cultivation isn’t as profitable today, it can make a high-value speciality crop on a small farm. There are many options when it comes to flowers. There are many options for growing bulbs, cut and dried flowers. If you grow flowers outside, you can make a good amount of money per acre.
Bonsai Plants
Bonsai are ornamental trees or shrubs that are grown in a pot. To prevent it from growing artificially, its roots are restricted. The price range for bonsai plants varies from $20( Rs1400) for the younger ones to $5,000+ ( Rs350000+) for the top specimens. Because bonsai plants are compact, it doesn’t take up much space. Start with only a few hundred dollars of soil and seeds. Bonsai can be grown from regular seeds. You can transform ordinary seeds into beautiful bonsai plants by having the knowledge and skills to do so.
Bamboo
Bamboo is considered the fastest-growing tree in the world. Although you might consider Bamboo a tropical tree, many cold-hardy varieties can withstand winters below zero. Good use Bamboo is a landscaping plant to make hedges and screens or be used as a stand-alone show plant. Landscapers or homeowners can purchase a potted bamboo plant for as low as $70-90 ( Rs4000-6000). You can grow more than 600 bamboo plants annually using 5-gallon containers in a 40-foot by 30-foot area.
Goji Berries
Goji berries are extremely nutritious and packed with antioxidants. Goji berries are widely considered to be a superfood. Goji berries are primarily cultivated in China. However, these berries can also be grown in North America. Goji berries can be dried organically for as high as $40 (Rs2500) per kilogram. Fresh berries, mainly when sold at farmer’s markets, are much more expensive. Goji berries can be grown up to 3000 kg per acre. This makes them the most valuable crop that you can cultivate when it comes to berries. Goji berry plants can be deciduous or slightly thorny and are woody shrubs. Goji berry plants can reach 3 to 6 feet in height when cultivated. However, they can grow up to 12 feet in the wild. Goji berry plants should be started in a greenhouse during the first six weeks of their development. However, they can be transplanted outside. They can withstand cold winters as well as cold summers.
Lavender
Lavender can be used in many ways. The flowers can either be dried or sold fresh to florists. You can make floral arrangements, wreaths or sell dried flowers directly to crafters and craft supply shops. Lavender flowers are used to make lavender oils too. It is a common ingredient for aromatherapy products and skin care products such as soaps and lotions. It had a lovely floral flavour. A single acre of lavender plants will produce approximately 12,000 bouquets per year. Each bouquet can be sold internationally for $10 (Rs 500-750).
Ginseng
Ginseng is a medicinal root that grows slowly. The health benefits of Ginseng are not known though there is not enough evidence to support these claims. However, preliminary clinical trials have demonstrated some benefits in memory, fatigue, and menopause symptoms. Ginseng is a long-term investment when it comes to cultivating plants for profit. You must wait six years after planting ginseng root plants before they mature. Ginseng growers can make as much as $200,000 (Rs 90 lacs to 1.5cr) an acre if they take rootlets and seeds into account. Growing ginseng large scale is a laborious process that can be dangerous and requires shade cloth made of polypropylene. It can be grown on a smaller scale under forest cover at a fraction of the cost. Ginseng can also be grown wild in large parts of the northern and eastern United States. Buyers prefer wild-grown Ginseng to those grown in open fields. Wild Ginseng is believed to be more potent in medicinal applications.
Saffron
Many people thought that saffron should be at the top of this list. It is in the third spot because of its low yield per square meter. The stigmas of the Crocus plant are used to make saffron. One kilogram of dried High-quality saffron costs about $4000 (Rs1.5 lacs to 2.5 lacs) and takes 150K flowers. Crocus flowers require half an acre to grow. This gives you an idea of how lucrative and profitable this crop can be. A moderate cold climate area is a good place to grow saffron, as are other areas with mild winters and dry climates. They can be grown in greenhouses or polytunnels in other areas. Harvesting saffron can be a labour-intensive and challenging part of the growing process. Pick the blooms carefully, and then take out three flowers per flower. Despite the high selling price, India, Iran, and Pakistan are the biggest saffron-producing countries.
Microgreens
Microgreens can be harvested in as little as 2 to 3 weeks. They also often sell for over $20 ( Rs900 to 1500) per kilogram in high-end stores. You can produce 10,000 worth of microgreens every month using shelving. This is possible in a basement or spare bedroom. Although microgreens are usually grown in trays that measure 10x20x20x20 inches and contain soil, they can also grow hydroponically. Microgreens can be grown in almost any vegetable or herb, and many varieties of microgreens are available. Microgreens are one of the most lucrative crops to grow due to their high yield per square foot and high selling prices.
Mushroom
Mushrooms are not the first thing that comes to mind when considering small-scale farm ideas. Growing mushrooms can be very profitable. Oyster mushrooms can be grown in five weeks and sold for $15 to $25 ( Rs 900-1500) per kilo. Mushrooms make an excellent crop for urban farmers and anyone with limited space. They can be grown indoors and produce a high return per square foot. Oyster mushrooms can yield up to 40 kg per square foot. To maximize your space, you can grow them vertically in large hanging bags. Because mushrooms don’t keep well after being picked, they are hard to ship nationwide. Local growers have an advantage over commercially-owned operations cause of the local availability of their supplies.