How to Start Potato Farming

Q: How Much do Potato Farmers Make?

According to Payscale , $ 65K USD yearly.

Published: Sep 4, 2023 by Rob Starr In Startup Advice 0

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

potato farming

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

potato farming

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

potato farming

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.

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

potato farming

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.

Understanding 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

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

Weeds

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

potato farming

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.