Being able to minimise costs is an integral part of increasing your farm’s profit margins. To achieve this, you need to make a few changes to how you do things on your farm operations. As we continue from last week’s column, below are the tips on cost reduction on the farm:

Reduce crop diseases

You need to take anti-disease actions if you want to reduce production costs and get the most out of your crops. Crop rotation can help prevent diseases among the crops you grow. Though it may take a bit of time investment, it is worth it if you prevent diseases from ruining your crops. 

Cut feed bill 

Besides capital expenditure, feeds are by far the biggest cost item of an animal farm. You can still feed your animals adequately without breaking the bank by growing your feeds. If you have a few acres, grow your hay, as it is cheaper than buying the hay from elsewhere. 

If possible and in a safe and controlled space, you could let your animals out to forage for themselves for part of the day, and the chickens hunt for bugs and grass. This will cut down on the amount of feed you have to purchase. 

Another way to cut down on the cost of feed is by purchasing the ingredients and milling your feeds. 

Substitute cheaper nutrient sources

Buying fertilisers can be quite expensive, but if you have animals on your farms, such as cows, chickens or rabbits, you can produce composite manure, which is nitrogen-rich, and this cuts down on costs. 

Optimise fertilisers

If you use fertilisers, make sure they are the most suitable for your soil and crops. Test your soil to see what it lacks because, in most instances, farmers end up spending a lot of money on fertilisers they do not need or end up buying the wrong types of fertilisers for their soil. Look for ways to cut costs by eliminating unneeded fertilisers and choosing ones that are more appropriate for your growing environment. 

Save on the cost of buying seeds

You will only have to spend a little more on seeds during your first year of farming if you make sure the seeds you grow are heirloom varieties. This means they are open-pollinated and can reproduce. When you harvest your crop, save the seeds by storing them in a cool, dry place – and they will be ready for the next planting season, therefore saving you the cost of buying new seeds for planting. 

- Additionally sourced from Joy Gichangi