Can a commercial aquaponics greenhouse be profitable?

This is a common question that circulates in forums, and for good reason. Aquaponics is a more sustainable method of growing than conventional agriculture, but if it’s not financially sustainable as well, it is not a viable venture for most growers. Before we evaluate data on this question, two caveats. First, growers’ expected financial returns vary greatly. Some operations are non-profits, just trying to break even. Others want to be large-scale agricultural businesses with significant returns. As a first step, it’s important to identify your goals when evaluating profitability. This is further explained in Planning a Commercial Aquaponics Greenhouse.

by Lindsey Schiller

The second caveat is that every operation is different. No one can make definitive claims about whether an individual aquaponics greenhouse will be profitable. As one member noted in the forum Year-Round Greenhouse Growers, asking whether an aquaponics greenhouse business will be profitable is just like asking if a car dealership will be profitable — it depends. To plan for your business specifically, Ceres recommends taking a course, or using the many available resources to help you plan for your unique commercial aquaponics venture.

Backyard aquaponics greenhouse with media beds

Most growers understand this intuitive point. Rather than asking about a specific operation, they want to know about the industry overall. Is commercial aquaponics a safe industry to go into? Are other aquaponics greenhouses profitable, and what do those businesses look like?

In regards to these questions, a 2014 study from Johns Hopkins University can shed some light. The study surveyed 257 commercial aquaponics growers, most located in the US. It tallied many metrics about their operation and some metrics on financial success. Some of key findings:

Most operations use an aquaponics greenhouse, often in addition to another structure
The average size of the operations is .03 acres (1,307 sq. ft.). About 40% of operations are located at the growers home; the remainder were on commercial or agricultural zoned land.
Most growers used a combination of two or more aquaponics systems (media beds, wicking beds, rafts, nutrient film technique, and vertical towers), with rafts and media beds being the most common.

Above, a 2,700 sq. ft. aquaponics greenhouse, designed by Ceres and The Aquaponic Source features rafts, media beds and wicking beds

The median year that respondents had begun practicing aquaponics was 2010.
31% of respondents were profitable in the past year.
55% expected to be profitable within the next 12 months and most growers (75%) expected to be profitable in the next 36 months.
For 70% of respondents, their commercial aquaponics operation was not the primary source on income.

The data above shed some light on the whether commercial aquaponics industry in the US is profitable overall. With only about 1/3 of growers stating that their operation was profitable, it’s clear that commercial aquaponics is far from a safe bet. However, it’s important to put this number in context. Most operations are still in the start-up phase, with an average time in business of about 4 years at the time of the study. Furthermore, the study did not ask about growers’ intention / goals. One can deduce from the majority of growers who do not make aquaponics their primary profession that the survey includes some commercial growers who probably do not have a great desire to make significant profits. Profitability statistics would likely change if it evaluated only those who made a living from their commercial aquaponics greenhouse.

It’s also important to note there are many things a grower can do to increase the chances of success. The Johns Hopkins Study noted that several traits related to profitability:

Sell a variety of products
The study notes that a commercial aquaponics operation was more likely to be profitable if it sold other products and services in addition to plants and fish. The study did not specify these auxiliary services, but examples likely include other agricultural products or services like consulting and courses.

More knowledge
The study confirms a fairly obvious idea that growers who have a strong knowledge of aquaponics are more likely to be profitable. For this reason we often recommend growers start out with an introductory business planning and / or growing course in commercial aquaponics, like the 4-day Flourish Farm Aquaponics Course hosted by The Aquaponic Source. There are also a great deal of free or low-cost resources you can take advantage of.

Dedication
The study also found a correlation between those who made aquaponics their primary profession and profitability. “Statistical results suggest that people whose aquaponics-related job was their primary source of income were over five times more likely to make a profit than people who indicated that aquaponics was not their primary source of personal income.”

In addition to evaluating the macro trends, prospective aquaponics growers may want to evaluate individual case studies to evaluate financial success. The Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) organization put together a few case studies of successful outdoor commercial aquaponics operations. Examples of successful commercial aquaponics greenhouses are also featured in the book The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse.

The Johns Hopkins study is one early study in this emerging and rapidly growing industry. The USDA added aquaponics to its census of aquaculture starting in 2013, only 4 years ago. Thus, though the study sheds some light on the current industry and its commercial success, most operations are still in the start-up phase, and thus the clearest take-away is that it's largely still too early to tell whether, or how, a commercial aquaponics greenhouse can be profitable.

For more information:
Ceres Greenhouse Solutions
4760 Walnut St., Suite 106
Boulder, Colorado 80301
303-495-5006
info@ceresgs.com
www.ceresgs.com