Farm Budget and Break-Even Calculator
Put your own numbers in. Get cost per kilogram, break-even yield, break-even price and margin per hectare.
Every figure below is an editable assumption. Replace them with local prices — that is the whole point of the tool.
Farm budget calculator
Establishment and operating costs against yield and net price.
Pre-grade-out field yield
Share of harvested tonnage that sells at your target grade
After freight, commission and packaging
One-off establishment cost (per hectare)
Annual operating cost (per hectare per year)
Ratoon cycles before block renovation
Intercrop, mulch sales, second-grade fruit
The formulas#
Marketable yield = field yield (t/ha) × grade-out (%) × 1000 kg
Revenue = marketable yield (kg) × net price (kg) + secondary income
Annual cost = operating cost + (establishment cost ÷ amortisation years)
Cost per kg = annual cost ÷ marketable yield (kg)
Gross margin/ha = revenue − operating costs (labour, fertiliser, protection,
irrigation, packaging, contingency, etc.)
Net margin/ha = revenue − total annual cost (including amortised establishment)
Break-even yield = total annual cost ÷ net price ÷ 1000
Break-even price = total annual cost ÷ marketable yield
Payback = establishment cost ÷ gross margin (measured before amortisation,
so the investment is not counted twice)What good looks like (indicative)#
| Metric | Warning | Typical | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per kg produced | > 70% of net price | 40–70% of net price | < 40% of net price |
| Gross margin per ha | Negative | 1.5–2.5 × operating cost | > 3 × operating cost |
| Break-even yield | Above your realistic yield | 60–80% of realistic yield | < 50% of realistic yield |
| Establishment payback | > 4 years | 2–4 years | < 2 years |
| Labour share of operating cost | > 60% | 35–50% | 30–45% |
The four questions this answers#
- What does a kilogram cost me? — total annual cost ÷ marketable kilograms.
- What is the lowest price I can accept? — break-even price.
- What is the lowest yield I can live with? — break-even yield.
- How long until establishment pays back? — establishment cost ÷ annual net margin.
Next steps#
- Benchmark against typical figures: Economics and records.
- Fix the yield levers: Crop care and Nutrition.
- Improve grade-out: Post-harvest handling.