Small-plot market gardens (0.1–1 hectare) are among the most profitable farms per square meter when managed intensively. Key strategies: succession planting, intercropping, multi-cropping (3–4 crops per year per plot).
Intensive Production Model
Goal: 4–6 harvests per year on same land; 800k–2M+ PKR revenue per hectare
Strategy 1: Succession Planting
- Week 1: Sow lettuce
- Week 3: Sow lettuce batch 2; harvest batch 1
- Week 5: Sow batch 3; harvest batch 2
- Result: Continuous lettuce supply; 12+ harvests per year
Lettuce: 50–100 PKR/kg → 8–12 t/year possible = 400–1,200k PKR/hectare
Strategy 2: Intercropping
- Tomato + basil + carrot + lettuce on 100 m² = 4 crops on 1-plot area
- Revenue: 60–100k PKR/100m² (2–3x monoculture)
Strategy 3: Multi-Cropping (Sequential)
Plot A:
- Jan–Apr: Tomato (harvest Apr)
- May–July: Beans (harvest July)
- Aug–Oct: Carrots (harvest Oct)
- Nov–Dec: Lettuce/greens (continuous)
- Total: 4 crops/year
Small-Plot Economics (0.25 hectare)
| Method | Crops/Year | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Monoculture (1 crop) | 1 | 50–100k |
| Succession (3 plantings) | 3 | 150–300k |
| Intercropping (3 crops/plot) | 3 | 200–400k |
| Multi-cropping (4 sequential) | 4 | 250–500k |
Best practice: Combine all three = 500k–1M PKR/hectare annually
Labor Efficiency
Intensive gardens require 30–50% more labor than monoculture. BUT: Revenue increase of 200–400% justifies cost on small plots (<1 hectare).
Related Guides
Plan intensive rotations using our crop calendar.
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