I have seen many enterprises fail due to poor planning and not focusing on the viability of the project right from the start, or even later, when in full production.
It also does not help to invest your capital in elaborate buildings, sophisticated greenhouses, smart hydroponic systems and full climate control without first considering the factors that could influence the overall viability of your enterprise (see Figure 1).
Make sure your Timing is right!
Timing your production with care could help to ensure the viability of your undercover project. Study the market prices of the crop that you intend growing, and analyse trends.Spanish hydroponic growers time the production of melons and watermelons to arrive on the European markets early in the season.
Prices are then on average three to four times higher than later in the season when the markets are flooded with open-field crops grown in warmer weather. The same trend occurs in South Africa, with melons and watermelons being very expensive at the beginning of the season, before the bulk of these products become available at much lower prices.
All year round
It is also important to get your greenhouse and hydroponic system into full production immediately after installing the infrastructure, and keep it in full production for 12 months of the year. While acting as a mentor of a government-sponsored project in the Western Cape,
I discovered that new tunnels had stood empty for six months before the first crop was planted, and again from March until November before the second crop was planted.
Being out of production for 15 out of 18 months reduced the venture’s revenue potential by more than 80%.
Keep production costs down
It is relatively easy to install boilers or other heating equipment to warm up the internal temperature of a greenhouse in winter. However, in South Africa’s mild climate, it is worth looking at other low-cost alternatives that could provide similar results.
Solar energy, for example, has replaced costly boilers or other heating equipment in some greenhouses in far colder climates than ours (see photograph on the left). These systems are designed to collect and store solar energy from south-facing (northern hemisphere) transparent glazing during the day, while heat loss is prevented by an insulation blanket that is rolled down over the outside of the greenhouse during the night.
A significant portion of the solar energy is stored in the rear and side walls of the structure, from where it is radiated onto the plants at night to keep them warm.
Timing your production with care could help to ensure the viability of your undercover project. Study the market prices of the crop that you intend growing, and analyse trends.Spanish hydroponic growers time the production of melons and watermelons to arrive on the European markets early in the season.
Prices are then on average three to four times higher than later in the season when the markets are flooded with open-field crops grown in warmer weather. The same trend occurs in South Africa, with melons and watermelons being very expensive at the beginning of the season, before the bulk of these products become available at much lower prices.
All year round
It is also important to get your greenhouse and hydroponic system into full production immediately after installing the infrastructure, and keep it in full production for 12 months of the year. While acting as a mentor of a government-sponsored project in the Western Cape,
I discovered that new tunnels had stood empty for six months before the first crop was planted, and again from March until November before the second crop was planted.
Being out of production for 15 out of 18 months reduced the venture’s revenue potential by more than 80%.
Keep production costs down
It is relatively easy to install boilers or other heating equipment to warm up the internal temperature of a greenhouse in winter. However, in South Africa’s mild climate, it is worth looking at other low-cost alternatives that could provide similar results.
Solar energy, for example, has replaced costly boilers or other heating equipment in some greenhouses in far colder climates than ours (see photograph on the left). These systems are designed to collect and store solar energy from south-facing (northern hemisphere) transparent glazing during the day, while heat loss is prevented by an insulation blanket that is rolled down over the outside of the greenhouse during the night.
A significant portion of the solar energy is stored in the rear and side walls of the structure, from where it is radiated onto the plants at night to keep them warm.
