Planning a successful tropical fruit grove takes a lot of time, resources and understanding of what your goals for production are. When done well, you are not only rewarded with good harvests but also a reduction in mistakes, better use of financial resources and the upper hand on the management of the business and maintenance of the grove over time.
There are many considerations when planning a grove, which include, but are not limited to:
- Business planning and market analysis
- Choosing the right crop
- Equipment and fertilizer costs
- Insurance and regulations
- Food safety considerations
- Soil, climate and weather considerations
- Irrigation and wind protection
- Preparing the land and designing your grove
- Costs and availability of labor
It can be overwhelming to think about where to start on this list. Generally, starting with a business plan and understanding where and how you want to sell your product is an important first step, even before you purchase or lease land. A business plan covers all of these topics and creates a blueprint for how you will achieve the goals of the business and the grove.
If you are interested in starting or expanding your grove, join me and Commercial Tropical Fruit Extension Agent of UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, Jeff Wasielewski on Saturday, May 7th at 9:00 AM for a virtual class on planning a tropical fruit grove for commercial production. Register for the class here: Enterprise Planning: Starting Your Tropical Fruit Grove Tickets, Sat, May 7, 2022 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite
Resources: HS1387/HS1387: Planning for a Successful Commercial Subtropical/Tropical Fruit Grove (ufl.edu)
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