Break-Even Crop Price Calculator
Estimate the crop price per sale unit needed to cover production costs. Choose a per-acre or per-hectare basis, account for other income, and reduce expected yield for post-harvest loss.
Break-even crop price
Find the crop sale price needed to cover the entered cost after other income and expected post-harvest loss.
Enter your figures and select Calculate to see the result.
Formula and how it works
Marketable yield per area = gross yield × (1 − loss percentage ÷ 100). Required crop sales per area = max(0, production cost per area − other income per area). Break-even price = required crop sales per area ÷ marketable yield per area.
Example
At $600 per acre of cost, $100 per acre of other income, 100 bushels per acre gross yield and 5% loss, marketable yield is 95 bushels and break-even price is $500 ÷ 95 = $5.26 per bushel.
Use a consistent crop sale unit and area basis. This is a planning calculation from entered assumptions, not a price forecast. If other income already covers costs, the required crop sale price is shown as zero.
Farm budget methodology
Farm enterprise budgets separate receipts and costs so a farm can compare expected production economics using its own figures. Break-even analysis relates projected costs to expected price or yield. The tools here use only values entered by the user and do not supply crop price or yield forecasts.
- Penn State Extension — Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making
- University of Minnesota Extension — Crop Budgets
Updated: 5 October 2026. This is an estimate, not financial, tax, insurance, agronomic or market advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the break-even crop price formula?
Subtract other income per area from production cost per area, then divide the remaining amount by marketable yield per area. Marketable yield is gross expected yield after the entered loss percentage.
Can I use bushels, tonnes or another crop unit?
Yes. Enter yield in any unit you choose and type that unit label. The price result is per that same sale unit, as long as yield, price and loss assumptions are consistent.
What if other farm income is higher than crop costs?
The calculator sets required crop sales revenue and break-even crop price to zero because the entered other income already covers the entered cost.