Fodder Production Costs
Using a typical FT1200 our experience tells us that to grow 1 kg of sprouting fodder costs in the region of 5 UK pence or 8 Cents US/Australian. So to produce approx 1200kg per day costs around £66. However these costs will vary according to local conditions, pricing for grain, electricity, water and labour in many countries may be considerably less.
We have in the below table outlined the costs involved in the process. These are FOB UK costs for grain,
Hydromix nutrient, Hydrobalance and Hydroclean for 1 years supply of each item.
Running costs for a 1.2tonne per day system:
| Description |
Purchase price and size |
Per kg cost of fodder (pence) |
Total per day cost (GBP) |
| hydroponic sprouting barley seed |
£285 per tonne (1200kg/day =150kg per day of grain) |
0.035 |
42.75 |
| Electricity |
10p per kw |
0.003 |
3.50 |
| Water |
0.1pence per litre x 700lts |
0.0006 |
0.07 |
| Nutrient |
£140 per batch |
0.0056 |
6.67 |
| Acid PH |
150 per batch |
0.0014 |
1.78 |
| Pre-soak additive |
£350.00 |
0.0008 |
0.96 |
| Labour |
£7.50 per hour |
0.01 |
15 |
| Total |
Daily running costs |
0.0564 |
70.73 |
This table assumes the following:
• 1.2 tonne production per day
• 1kg of hydroponic sprouting barley = 8kg of fodder ie 150kg per day of seed at £285 per ton cost delivered in 5 tonne loads in 500kg bags
• 35kw of electricity per day for aircon, pumps and lights at 10p per kw hour
• 1 batch of nutrient lasts 3 weeks (21days) at £140 per batch
• 1 batch of AcidPH is 20 litres and lasts 12 weeks at £150 per batch
• Pre-soak additive comes in 20 litre container and lasts 1 year at £350 per batch
• 2 hours of labour needed per day at £7.50 per hour
• 700 litres of water per day at 0.1p per litre