On Day 7, we stopped the experiment. The yield we received was approx. 3.75 kg of green fodder for each kg of grains (against an expected yield of 6 kg).

As we introspected, many factors could have led to a lower yield. Some of these are:-

• Sprouting of seeds directly in the tray - instead of wrapping the seeds in cheesecloth and letting them germinate (the way one would do for lentils), we allowed the seeds to sprout directly in the fodder tray. This process may have reduced the growth rate and increased the harvest cycle (if we harvested on the 8th or 9th day, yield could be nearer to the benchmark).
• Lack of aeration - as we did a quick and dirty set-up, one mistake we did was taking the trays without perforations. Perforation in the base allows for ventilation and drainage of excess water, which did not happen in our experiment.
• Irregular watering cycle - we watered the tray manually, which means that the periodicity and measure of watering were not precise. Also, there were long periods (during the night) of no watering.

Looking at the above data, we feel that it will not be difficult to achieve the yield of at least 5 kg (if not 6) if one does the process right. Also, since the learning curve is pretty steep (every seven days you get one new harvest), one can quickly learn from their mistakes and move to the optimal yield.

For now, let us look at the cost dynamics or profitability of setting up a small-scale Hydroponic Fodder unit.

Any hydroponic fodder unit will consist of the following three essential components:-

• The fodder trays in which fodder will be grown.
• The frames or structure that will hold the fodder trays.
• The watering and plumbing system.

For the sake of calculations, we will consider a 2,500 sq. Ft. Unit (land area) in a 50x50 configuration. Depending upon the site layout and no. of layers, the final pricing will vary. However, the calculations below will give you a ballpark estimate of cost dynamics.

On the operational side, the three crucial cost components would be:-

• Seeds
• Electricity
• Water

The monthly cost towards these for our set-up (assuming seed cost of 10 Rs per Kg and going rates for water and electricity) would be approx. INR 0.67 Lakhs.

Happy Farming!