Knowing your true break-even price per unit of output is essential before deciding whether to sell at the current market rate or hold for a better one. This calculator totals every input cost across a growing season, divides by expected yield, and shows your break-even cost per kilogram — the minimum price you need just to cover expenses.
Total Cost = Land Preparation + Seed + Fertilizer + Pesticides + Irrigation + Labor + Harvesting + Transportation + Other Expenses. Break-even Price per kg = Total Cost ÷ Expected Yield. Comparing this figure to the current or expected market price immediately shows your margin per kilogram.
| Cost Category | Typical Share |
|---|---|
| Fertilizer | 20-25% |
| Labor (incl. harvesting) | 25-30% |
| Seed | 8-12% |
| Irrigation | 10-15% |
| Land preparation | 10-12% |
| Pesticides & other | 10-15% |
For 5 acres of maize with total costs of PKR 350,000 (all categories combined) and expected yield of 2,000 kg/acre (10,000 kg total): Break-even price = 350,000 ÷ 10,000 = PKR 35/kg. If the current market price is PKR 55/kg, your margin is PKR 20/kg, or PKR 200,000 total profit before considering any land rent or your own management time.
Yes — even unpaid family or owner labor has an opportunity cost, and leaving it out understates your true break-even price. Value it at the local hired-labor rate for the same tasks to get an accurate picture.
Labor (including harvesting) and fertilizer together usually account for 45-55% of total crop production cost across most field crops, though the exact split shifts depending on how mechanized your operation is.
Once you know your break-even price, you can compare it against both the current market price and typical post-harvest price patterns for your crop to judge whether waiting a few weeks or months is likely to improve your margin enough to justify storage cost and risk.
If you rent the land, yes — include the seasonal rent as part of total cost. If you own the land outright, some farmers still include an estimated rental-equivalent value to see the crop's true economic cost, though this is optional depending on your purpose.