02/08/2025
Costs for Maize Production on 1 hactare (2.5 acres).
1. Renting land- MK85,000/acre thus MK212,500
2. Land clearing (kusosa)- removing unwanted bush, it's sometimes optional- MK50,000
3. Ridging- 75cms spacing at MK100,000.
4. Seed: 10kgs for a hybrid variety/acre, SC729 Njobvu (new) thus MK138,000. thus MK345,000 for 25kgs/ha.
5. Planting- 30-45 cms apart, 1- 2 seeds per planting station- MK50,000.
6. Fertilizer (NPK- 5 bags and UREA-5 bags), 5*151,000 thus MK755,000 + 5*148,000 thus MK740,000 total for 10 bags is MK1,495,000.
7. Fertilizer 1st Application- 2 bags NPK/acre or 50kgs/half acre (okulisa) applied at planting or 5 days after planting. Pamakhala anthu obaya, ndi othila omwe- MK75,500. 5grams/ hole.
8. 1 st Weeding (kupalira) using a hoe- removing all unwanted bushes. Done at 2-3 weeks at MK85,000.
* Pest Control- Control and prevent cut worms from eating the maize leaves. To be applied using a sprayer- renting sprayer- MK6,000* 3 thus MK18,000, Lamdex- MK58,000 and labour MK50,000.
9. 2nd Fertilizer Application- 2 bags UREA/acre or 50kgs half acre (wobelekesa) after 21 days or when crop is knee height (mumabondo)- MK62,500. Obaya and othila.
10. 2nd weeding- manual using a hoe at 4-6 weeks at MK85,000.
11. Banking (Kukwezela), bandila- to be done after second fertilizer application. Don't do it in termite prone soils- MK75,000.
* Pest Control: prevent stalk borer, leafy hopper, aphids, army worms and others. Renting a sprayer MK6,000 *3 thus 21,000, Procyper or emaben etc MK58,000 and labour MK50,000.
* On-Field Harvesting Activities (done at the farm to save costs *
- Slashing/cutting down dried maize stalks and bunching them- MK50,000.
- Cob separation: removing dried cobs from maize stalks, MK1000/ bag 117.5 bags MK117, 500.
* After-Harvest Services (done at the farm to save costs*
- Machine shelling (117.5 bags) thus MK117,500 at MK1000/ bag including petrol.
- Storage sacks (180), some will be used for harvesting, others for packaging at MK1000/ bag thus MK180,000.
- Grading, Soughting and packaging at MK1000/bag * 117.5 bags thus MK117,500.
- Transportation shall include: when procuring and delivering inputs, field visits (13 minimum), transporting harvest to storage thus MK800,000 over 5 months.
* Projected expenditure for 1 hactare (2.5 acres) is at MK4,272,500 if you want to do things the right way.
* Projected Harvest: 117.5 bags, but could be more thus 117.5 bags is 5,875 kgs and if selling at MK1,300/kg is MK7,343, 750.
* Projected Profit: MK3,071,250.
Explanation in comments 👇
