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Re: Tomato Prices

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AG Wrote

>What have you been paying for tomato transplants? Various sizes and
>prices? Any premium for heirlooms? Any premium for organically grown
>transplants.
>
>I'll be growing about 720 extra tomato plants this year and was
>wondering what people are paying for transplants. I'll be growing
>heirlooms, the seed is organically produced and I'm feeding them Roots
>organic so I would say they are organically grown.
>
>I have lots of big pots to pot up the plants into so that's why I ask
>about various sizes. Any guidance would be great!
>
>Thanks,
A few thoughts on this;  my personal experience is that I have helped my 
brother, an organic grower, with some marketing. 

To begin with your specific questions.  Yes, there is a premium for 
heirloom tomatoes.  Very few people grow them commercially;  on the 
other hand, the reason for this is that very few people (relatively) buy 
them.  Most people who buy organic expect to pay a premium for certified 
organic;  figure 10-15% minimum they are willing to pay. However, as 
above, most people do not buy organic.  

As I said, I helped my brother the organic grower out.  Last year he was 
selling heirloom seedlings in 3 1/2 inch pots and 6 inch pots.  There is 
a nice niche market for them around here (Greater Boston area) and you 
do not have to compete with the big commercial growers who will kill you 
on price.  I would not recommend selling them in six packs;  most people 
do not want six of anything, especially an heirloom which they are not 
familiar with. [There might be a market for a mixed four pack, either 
two each of a variety or one each of four varieties.  However, this is a 
major league pain to do-transplanting, marking each cell, etc.)  My 
brother sells mostly wholesale.  For a tray of 3 1/2 inch pots (18 
plants), I believe he was getting $18.  The retailers all want to double 
the wholesale price, and $2.00 was what the traffic would bear for that 
size certified organic heirloom.  I think he was getting $2.50 wholesale 
for the six inch pot.  The advantage of doing wholesale is that the 
plants are gone;  you do not have to waste hours talking to customers. 
Disadvantage, of course, is your margin is way down.  Guess it depends 
on (1) how much time you have to spare (2) how much your time is worth, 
etc.  

If you want to sell them yourself, one thought might be to team with 
places that do plant sales.  Schools frequently do this as a fund 
raiser;  you give the local PTA a piece of your gross.  I am sure there 
are lots of other organizations which have similar sales. 

You say that you are growing them organically;  question is, are you 
certified.  If not, most organic outlets will not touch you unless they 
have absolutely no other source of supply and want your product fairly 
badly.  Nevertheless, it might be worth going around to the local 
organic food store, cooperative, etc. and talking to the flower 
people(they, not produce, usually handle seedlings).  

The question you really want to ask yourself is do you really want to do 
this.  Even if you sell retail and even if you sell all you grow (which 
you will not), you are not going to make much of a profit for a 
considerable expenditure in time and resources.  Pots, soil mix, trays, 
delivery, etc. are going to be a major investment in time and capital.  
750 plants is not going to get you very far. 

Bill McKay in Eastern Massachusetts 

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