Horticulture entails the production and selling of high-value, intensively produced crops. A crop is a plant that farmers produce and harvest for their source of revenue.
There is a diverse variety of horticultural crops that are grown widely. Fruits, vegetables, medicinal crops, plantation crops, and spices are some of them. Horticulture also includes processed foodstuffs that are produced in the industry.
In this guide, we have covered everything about horticultural crops and how to sell them. So, read further.
Horticultural Crops Vs. Agronomic Crops
There are two categories of crops in horticulture: horticultural crops and agronomic crops. Horticultural crops comprise everything from fruits & vegetables to ornamental plants and flowers.
Agronomic crops are staple food crops, which can be corn, rice, wheat, barley, and grain. On the contrary, horticulture crops include fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, apples, mango, etc.
Compared to agronomic, horticultural crops are often grown on a smaller scale with more intensive management. Other horticultural crops can be the ones produced for aesthetic and recreational purposes.
The Most Popular Horticultural Crops
There are many highly-valued crops that are grown all over the world. Farmers and cultivators often consider growing fruits and vegetables like:
- Apple
- Mango
- Banana
- Cauliflower
- Tomato
- Pea
- Pineapple
- Orange
- Apricot
Specialty Of Horticultural Crops
Here are some of the specialties of horticultural crops that you should know:
Nutritional Value
Fruits and vegetables are great vitamin sources. They also provide carbohydrates, minerals, and other vital nutrients. Nuts like almonds and fruits like avocado are great sources of monounsaturated fats. All these foods do not have cholesterol.
Medicinal Value
Fruits, vegetables, and herbs have a good medicinal value that one can use as a drug’s ingredient. Some examples of these are guava, ginger, and garlic.
Raw Materials
Horticultural crops also serve as raw materials for value-added products of a wide range of industries. These include food, drink, and cosmetic industries.
Fuelwood And Construction
There are fruit trees that can be used in the making of fuelwood and construction materials. For example, mango trees.
Decorative And Shade Values
Fruit trees also give shade to both animals and crops. They even beautify the landscape, which ultimately raises the value of the property.
What To Consider When Cultivating Horticultural Crops?
If you are a commercial farmer and want to produce horticultural crops for business, you should be aware of certain things. Here is what you should keep in mind:
Have An Aim Before Getting Started
It is important to produce first-rate quality crops. But, you must bear in mind that whatever you cultivate has to be sold. You aren’t getting anything for producing or marketing. The main motive here is to sell the crops. For that, the cultivators should know their marketplace.
Some of the ideal places to sell the products are grocery stores, farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and restaurants. The charges that the cultivators will get may differ as per the place where they are selling their produce. Also, it is important to know that not every method will be fruitful, but some of them surely will.
Choose What Crops You Want To Produce
Reach out to people who might be interested in purchasing your fruits and vegetables. Stay calm, and don’t do anything hurriedly. Visit the potential marketplaces and talk to the managers of these markets regarding the purchase of products. You can also ask questions like what crop is required, how much you need, or what prices you will offer for a better conversation.
Sometimes, it becomes difficult for a purchaser to answer all these. But, as a cultivator, you must establish a healthy relationship with them. This will greatly help, and you will also get countless opportunities for business.
Consider The Amount Of Space Required
Expectedly, there is a vast market for anything that cultivators decide to grow. But some crops may take up too much room compared to others. It would be a serious consideration if you have limited space.
Purchasers want foodstuff over a huge portion of the growing season. Cultivators may hold up planting, and this will let them harvest crops for as much time as they want to. They may purchase row covers, black plastics, and high tunnels to extend the planting season. All these might be expensive, but they will surely be helpful. So, consider all these things while looking at the space available for farming.
Also Read: What Is Horticulture Therapy: Know The Plant World Better
How To Sell Horticultural Crops?
As a farmer, you have numerous options to sell your crops. Either you can sell the crops directly to the customers or supply the products to various restaurants and grocery stores. A farmer’s market is among the most popular places where farmers can sell their products. Here, some farmers also have regular buyers and customers.
The bigger farmers have a middleman to sell their goods. A middleman is a person who takes crops from the farmers and sells them to different places like shops and restaurants. They prefer the “middle man” method as they have an extensive range of products and do not have time to sell on their own. With this method, it can be easier for the farmers to locate new customers.
A farmer should have a good status in the market. They can maintain regular customers when they offer properly clean products. With quality products, they can raise the possibility of retaining customers.
The crop’s potential to be sold depends on numerous factors, and demand is one of them. The farmers can sell vegetables and other crops directly in the marketplace or can preserve them locally. If the farmers are not able to sell the crops on time, it will be considered a wasteful harvest.
More often than not, farmers sell the crops in busy places or nearby marketplaces. They can also interact with small farm shops and see how they can stock the shelves with their products.
Can We Sell Crops Online?
If the farmers aren’t able to sell their products in physical marketplaces, they can turn to online platforms. A great percentage of them have an impressive online presence.
The internet lets the farmers access several websites where they can put their products on sale. At certain online marketplaces, the farmers can place their produce. There are even many online grocery stores. So, if a farmer provides their goods to these grocery stores, they can earn a hefty profit.
Small-sized farmlands that are owned by families use social media for business. Now, farmers can upload pictures of their goods and claim a price for them. Large-sized farms generally build websites to sell their produce. Also, if the farmers want to avoid building a site, they can go for online marketplaces.
Some popular online marketplaces for farmers:
- GazeCart
- Barn2Door
- Floret
- Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
- Wildwood Christmas Tree Farm
Conclusion
Horticulture is all about the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The crops in horticulture are classified into two groups, which are horticultural crops and agronomic crops. Horticultural crops are grown widely, and some of the most popular ones are tomato, cauliflower, apple, and mango. Agronomic crops are staple food crops, which include rice, beans, corn, etc.
For better production and selling of the crops, farmers can consider the points mentioned earlier. They can use the middleman method or online platforms to provide their goods. Selling of the crops highly depends on the products’ quality and the farmer’s reputation in the market. So, you must keep that in mind when doing business.
For more relatable information on horticultural crops, connect with Fall and Fallow. We are an online community that lets you uncover unknown facts about horticulture. Moreover, You can check out our monthly podcasts to learn more about horticulture and farming activities.