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Commercial Greenhouse farming in Eastern Cape(SA), making cost, requirements, investment, second-hand greenhouse in South Africa

In those region, where traditional farming is not effective, should try the modern methods of agriculture. 

In South Africa, the number of people is increased those are taking interest in greenhouse farming in the last 10 years. Many people want to practice the greenhouse farming at commercial level but they don't have any estimation of investment cost and profit.

Let's have an overview of making a greenhouse at commercial level in South Africa.

Commercial greenhouse farming in Eastern Cape (SA)

Before getting the estimation of investment cost, let's understand the requirements and features of making greenhouses. 

Types of making greenhouse(1500 square feet)

Here, we mentioned the requirements to make both type one and type two greenhouses.

Commercial greenhouse farming in South Africa

Type one greenhouse and type two greenhouse are almost the same but their structure is of a different material.  Type one greenhouse is made of a metal frame and glass walls, type two greenhouse is made of a wooden frame and poly sheets. The rest of the requirements are the same for both types of greenhouses.

Requirements for glass greenhouse

  • Glass sheets greenhouse

The glass greenhouse structure is different from the poly sheet tunnel greenhouse. The ideal and stable structure for a glass greenhouse is a cuboid. It depends on the available measurement in your locality and how many glass sheets you are required to make it. 

Considering a height of 10 meters, you have a 4,600 square meters area to cover. For this, you need glass sheets for two front faces(each of 300 square meters), two side walls(each of 500 square meters), and a roof area of 1,500 square meters. 

  • Metal frame

Metal frames platform structure can use in poly sheets and glass sheets both types of greenhouse. For poly sheets, you need a lightweight stable structure of the metal frame. To handle thick glass sheets, the platform frame structure must be strong and highly stable. 

In a glass sheet case, you need a metal frame that can maintain easily if a glass sheet got broken. So the best way is to use a screw allowing frame that can replace the broken or damaged glass sheets easily.  

Requirements for poly sheets greenhouse

  • Plastic sheets requirements to make greenhouse

For 1500 square feet area(dividing it in a 50x30 square meter tunnel), you need a 3,350 square meter poly sheet. It is divided into two portions of the face of the greenhouse tunnel, rest to cover the curved surface. 

  • Wooden frame and metal frame

The wooden frame is not made for a glass greenhouse. It only can use in poly sheet greenhouse. You can either use a bamboo frame or available strong and flexible wood to make this frame. 

Most of the time people choose metal frame to install all the inside facilities. And also, metal frame for poly sheets greenhouses are easy to maintain.

Now, let's understand the common requirements in both types of greenhouses-

Soil beds containers

In a 1,500 square meter area, you can have multiple types of containers like cups, pots, and container beds. You can increase the space by using the method of vertical farming.  You can also prepare the soil beds for plants like potatoes, ginger, cauliflower, brinjal, tomatoes, etc. 

In a 1,500 square meter area, you have at least 1,400 square meter area for farming. In this, you can start from one end to another. The containers may be of plastic but in summer, it is good to have cement or soil pots.

Exhaust fans

In your 1,500-square-meter greenhouse, you need four exhaust fans(one on each wall) in the summer season, to maintain the temperature inside the greenhouse. 

Using a metal frame structure is helpful in poly sheet greenhouse to fix the exhaust fans easily. 

Heating blowers 

In winters, the inside temperature of the greenhouse remains slightly better than the outside. But still, not enough when dew comes. So you need air blowers to grow off-season crops or plants inside the greenhouse in winters. 

You can use four(1500 watt each) air blowers to maintain the temperature inside the greenhouse. It is better to fix them on each corner.

Automatic moisture maintaining system

In summers, only exhaust fans are not enough to maintain the temperature inside. It is also required to maintain moisture in the air. For that, you need a full support system activation inside the greenhouse. You can fix the automatic water showering system with the rate of 1 liter in one hour. You can add 5 to 7 showers at a random distance that covers the entire greenhouse. 

Except for the greenhouse construction requirements, you need organic compost, pesticides, small cultivator tools, pH, and TDS meters.

Investment in commercial greenhouse making in South Africa

Here we divide the investment cost in two parts; poly sheet greenhouse and glass sheet greenhouse construction. 

Poly sheet greenhouse making cost

  • Poly sheet cost- R74,000
  • Metal structure cost- R44250
  • Containers cost- R2950
  • Water showering system cost- R22000
  • Exhaust fans cost- R4425
  • Air blower cost- R7400
  • Maintenance cost- R7400

Total cost- R162425

So one square meter poly sheet greenhouse cost- R110

Glass greenhouse making cost

  • Glass sheets cost- R442500
  • Metal frame cost- R81000
  • Containers cost-R2950
  • Water showering system cost- R37000
  • exhaust fans cost- R4425
  • Air blower cost- R7400
  • Maintenance costs- R29500

Total cost- R604775

So one square meter glass greenhouse cost- R400

Is greenhouse farming profitable in South Africa at the commercial level?

Well, it depends. It depends on how much profit you are expecting in the greenhouse. 

Let's take the example of a 1,500-square-meter greenhouse as mentioned above. Now, it depends on what kind of crops you are choosing inside. If you are growing ordinary food crops or vegetables or simple fruits, then maybe you will not get enough profit throughout the year. Also if your total income depends on yearly crops, then you will not be in enough profit according to expectations.

At the commercial level, it is better to have a high price and fast-growing crops inside the greenhouse. Fast-growing crops can take up to 4 months. It means you will have three backup crops profit at the end of the last harvesting per annum.

So, we can say that you will get a profit of xx to yy per annum from greenhouse farming at the commercial level if you choose the right selection of crops and their growing period.

Is it good to buy a second-hand greenhouse in South Africa?

People ask to buy second-hand greenhouses many times because of saving time and less investment. It is not a bad idea actually. You can buy second-hand greenhouse in South Africa but before that, you need to keep some points in mind-

  • Don't buy a poly sheet greenhouse of over 2 years. You should think about the glass greenhouses most of the time. If you are ready to change the poly sheets and ready to maintain the poly sheet greenhouse then it is ok. 
  • Check the life of inbuilt systems like exhaust fans, water showering system performance and scope, air blower working, and also the maintenance cost for the rest of the year.
  • You need to check the climate conditions of the location and changes throughout the year.
  • Ask the documentation and investment cost of making greenhouse and then consider to buy after satisfaction to avoid any fraud. 
  • If possible, then it is best to buy a greenhouse for rent. You can pay monthly or yearly rent and some percent of the profit from the yield to the owner.

Difference between poly sheet greenhouse and glass sheet greenhouse

  • A poly sheet greenhouse is cheaper than a glass greenhouse in the same measurements. 
  • A glass greenhouse is more effective than a poly sheet greenhouse. 
  • It is not difficult to maintain a poly sheet greenhouse in comparison to a glass greenhouse. Poly sheet greenhouse maintenance cost is very low in comparison to a glass greenhouse.
  • A glass greenhouse is more stable and long-lasting than a poly sheet greenhouse. 
  • In winters, a glass greenhouse provides more ideal conditions. In summer, poly sheet greenhouse performs slightly better on the same inside cost.

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