Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22497070-2,00.html

Ok, view the above story.. isnt it something that the government says "be prepared to pay higher prices for food e.g. drought... but only sets 15% target for reducing greenhouse gases...

Not totally wanting to make this a climate change debate, but rather a discussion on the "opportunities" that because of looming higher food prices, aquaponics I think has a REAL chance of getting noticed more and more...

Points
1. I think in the future people are going to want to find a way to get cheaper food..

2. If you over produce in your AP system, perhaps you can sell to the local fresh food market yourself and complete directly with farmers

3. A good example was Joel's 31kg of Tomatoes from 1 plant... Certain things can be sold that can help pay off an AP system and even expand it perhaps...

4. While initial outlay might be a little expensive, how long would it take in veggies to pay a system off... In other words:

What combinations of AP systems can be made with simply Cost_to_set-up vs return to payoff in mind...

5. And as a city farmer, just how much can you grow at home if you wanted to sell it...

6. Its dry folks, and it looks like its only going to get drier...



[B]

There is some discussion of this over in the commercial section. From my very rough calculations high margin veggies and ornamental fish can be quite profitable.

Sadly like most things, when you get to a certain point of volume of sales... you will become noticed by those with vested interests and/or other regulatory bodies....

A problem that's become personally apparant with regard to selling hydroponically grown produce...... The local Market Authority virtually demands that all produce be traded through the Market Authority....

Otherwise hefty [s]fines[/s] levies are applied to [s]discourage you from attempting to sell directly to the public [/s] encourage you to sell directly to the Markey Authority

I don't know about you guys, but I am super interesting in developing a real business plan after I get my garage system producing consistently. Such a plan would include all the real costs, whatever they may be in your area. I think it's very doable

what about if you just sold at small markets? There are three regular weekend markets here in the Townsville area with many veggies sellers. As far as I am aware, stall holders rent their site and sell what they like. There are home growers, market gardeners and at least one certified organic grower.

We have the Caboolture markets here that do something similar, I think the problem starts when you branch out to the daily trade and don't get the necessary licences (as Rope is saying)

do you know if this extends to herbs as well as fruit and veg? also is it state or federally regulated?

thanks

Don't know BF.... might just be the Sydney Market Authority...... although the Sydney Fish Market seems to have very similar regulations and attitutudes.... maybe it's a NSW thing.....

bureaucracy- can't live with it.

They have a vegie markets in Cairns...

I had no idea there wre licences for selling veggies?

I guess the question is under what reglatory body does it come under. Also there is obvious market protection etc...

Also what if a grower was putting some kind of poison they were not allowed to use... etc

I suppose there has to be some sort of protection for the consumer...

But saying all that - Im sure it can be done. Even to specialise in a few things that you know grow well. Tomatos, Brochlli etc...

One of the issues that make farmers produce so expensive - in the energy costs in planting, picking, packing then transport to the store and then your house. In reality, an orange costs way more then the 50c you pay for it.

For us in AP - Because its a hobby, we live in the city etc, then those sorts of costs are certainly a lot less.

And then again - We are not making a "living" off our systems where people at the markets maybe...

Even so - How well can an AP system pay itself off - I wonder....

What about this - Sell to your local veggie store... if the price is right, you become a wholesaler for the lcoal... and when you get a crop you arnt competing and you know you have a buyer... And they ar not competing with you, and IF AP truly works and everything is VERY healthy, then the local might even give you a good price?

That's about the point when you become noticed on the radar by the regulatory bodies..... especially if the local used to buy the bulk of their stuff off another supplier.... often the "notice" is flagged by a competitor or someone with vested interest.

Another issue is the local distributors don't like competition. A guy I'm just getting to know used to grow fresh herbs and wholesale them directly to restaurants. He had a small greenhouse and was growing kitchen herbs. So he decided to give it a try as a business and leased space in a commercial greenhouse and grew herbs, as well as bought some others from another grower who had previously only sold to the wholesalers. He then went around and directly began marketing to the chefs, owners and when needed the buyers of upscale restaurants. And it was going GREAT for him. In a few short months he had several restaurants that ONLY bought their herbs from him, and as word spread he soon had a booming business. Well, then one day it started to drop off. Not ONE of his customers would buy anything. After a handful of closed doors he had an owner tell him what had happened. The wholesaler they bought ALL the rest of their produce from informed the owner that if he bought any produce from any other source, he would simply stop selling him ANYTHING. My friend found this to be the case at everyone of his customers, and that afternoon there were two men waiting for him in his greenhouse. As he puts it, "they looked like extras from 'Goodfella's", and they explained that he was welcome to sell to them, but not directly to the restaurants. There were no threats, but he understood and decided to get out of that business and back into grading and heavy equipment, as it seemed to be a safer business.

IF you stayed small, you may be able to fly under the radar. It's definitely an all or nothing kind of business. Either go BIG, or stay very small. Anything in between would be too much hassle to be worth while. Between the gooberment and the competition it's just too much.


At least the way I see it.

That is illegal here - and probably is there also. Of course getting something done about it may be a different thing.