Agriculture has become a difficult venture in many different countries around the world, with more and more farmers struggling to make ends meet despite the introduction of subsidies. However, farmers have got essential skills, tools, and all the right ingredients to expand or diversify their business into new and exciting areas.

In fact, it doesn't even take colossal investments for farmers to shift their business focus a little bit in looking for extra means of income, especially when utilising what they already have in their locker. Whilst there will inevitably be some form of up-front investment, it is a manageable and sustainable process. Shipping containers provide an affordable option for creating storage space, and their durability ensures that they retain value.

Why diversify?

The problem is that many farmers are engaged with only one or two types of agricultural enterprise, such as growing crops - although some have more diverse approaches to farming the land. In the case of catastrophic crop failure, entire businesses can stagnate and it's impossible to secure a reliable and predictable income. In the meantime, all taxes and other expenses and overheads need to be supported whilst out of pocket, since there is no solid cash flow available.

It has become a popular trend in rural areas to transform agricultural businesses into storage businesses, and this absolutely makes sense. A farmer has acquired the space, the land, the security, and the multitude of local contacts. Agricultural landowners may only need to transform the already existing barns into storage facilities, and can also benefit from purchasing new or used shipping containers, which are the perfect flexible solution for storage facilities.

Combined with a solid business and marketing strategy (online and offline), farmers are able to exploit their existing position to generate a new kind of income.

Reducing risks

By diversifying your agricultural business, you are reducing the risks to a minimum. Farmers can maintain their original business, and should anything go wrong there's still a storage enterprise to generate income, which does not depend on factors such as the weather, crop efficiency, or livestock health.

Shipping containers provide a superb solution for the quick and affordable setup of a storage business. All you need to do is find a reputable company that offers top quality shipping containers, which is exactly what Willbox is here for!From there on, you can offer these containers to sell or for hire to your local contacts, as a starting point. This could provide a brilliant opportunity for residents of the local community to reduce their clutter and store possessions securely close to home.

Landowners can also offer storage solutions for other agricultural business owners; storing animal feed, grain, equipment, and other items. There are plenty of options available for the diversification of agricultural businesses with self-storage.

Shipping containers and agriculture

Here some ways in which shipping containers provide a great solution for farmers, both in the diversification of their business and the everyday assistance to normal farm work.

• Shipping containers enable farmers to store their agricultural equipment, seed, animal feed, and much more. They can also be rented to other farmers who need the secure space.
• Easy storage for the expansion of a farming organisation into new areas. This could be by growing industrial fibre crops such as cereal, straw, hemp or flax. These are proving to be popular. For example, flax is used in the textile and paper-making industry, while cereal straw has a high demand in the construction industry (insulation material) and in bio-composite manufacture.
• Storage space for residents in the area, which can be rented on a monthly basis. Many people require temporary extra storage space during a house decoration project, or they may need such storage for longer periods. This could mean a steady flow of income. If you can also equip your self-storage area with CCTV and provide even greater security, there will be a bigger demand for your services.

For more information about the shipping containers available at Willbox, and to learn about starting your own self-storage business, get in touch today.