Speaker: Bob Baloch Sessions: Building Systems for Local Production of World Crops: Opportunities and Challenges

1. Growing Ethnic Produce
Experience growing and marketing
ethnic produce.
Bob Baloch
www.thefreshveggies.com

2. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Introduction
– Started in 2008 on 1/4 acre of land with thanks
to FarmStart.
– Expanded over years to 5 acres
– 2011 added 1 Hoop house 2400 sq ft
– 2013 3 Hoop houses 7200 sq ft
– Okra was 2.5 acre
– Rest in mix Vegetables.
www.thefreshveggies.com

3. Growing Ethnic Produce
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4. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Major Challenges
– Weather, Machine, and Human factors
– Labor Challenges
– Competition with industrial jobs
– Mechanized farming need scaling up to be cost
effective
– Look at bigger picture
www.thefreshveggies.com

5. Growing Ethnic Produce
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6. Growing Ethnic Produce
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7. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Niche Market
– Finding right mix of produce
– Finding right Customers
– Producing enough to meet demand
– Harvesting on time, when produce is ready
– Sizing, Packing
www.thefreshveggies.com

8. Growing Ethnic Produce
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9. Growing Ethnic Produce
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10. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Okra Experience
– Demand for right Variety
– Variety capabilities for Local weather/growing
condition
– Seed/Crop failure due to seed quality, seed
purity
– Trial and error on large scale costly
– Scaling up production
www.thefreshveggies.com

11. Growing Ethnic Produce
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12. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Scaling Up Okra Production
– Supply and Demand
– Finding Customers
– Pilot project (Direct Store Deliveries to 1-5 Stores)
– Working with Distributors
– Meeting quality and delivery deadlines
www.thefreshveggies.com

13. Growing Ethnic Produce
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14. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Future
– Looking for land to increase production (long term
lease, with good soil and water)
– Mechanizing Weeding and Harvest aid
– Consulting in Okra production
– Contact info:
• Email: bbaloch@thefreshveggies.com
• Cell: (647) 861-6150
www.thefreshveggies.com

15. Growing Ethnic Produce
• Questions & Answers
– Contact info:
Bob Baloch
Email: bbaloch@thefreshveggies.com
Cell: (647) 861-6150
www.thefreshveggies.com