Fertigation head station cost: indicative CAPEX bands and how to get comparable quotes
A fertigation head station is quoted as one line item but is really six: filtration, dosing, mixing, EC/pH control, pumping and the control cabinet. Two quotes for the same hectarage can differ by a factor of three because the scope behind that line item differs. This page sets out realistic bands, the drivers behind them, and what a supplier needs before a quote means anything.
SeedMatch Group helps commercial agriculture projects request and compare supplier options for fertigation head stations and dosing systems. SeedMatch is an independent project sourcing and RFQ platform, not a farm, seed producer, fertilizer manufacturer, greenhouse builder or EPC contractor. Each request is reviewed before suitable suppliers or project partners are approached.
Request a human-reviewed quote for a fertigation head station. Submit irrigated area, crop, water source and analysis, number of dosing channels, control ambition, budget band and target commissioning date. SeedMatch reviews the brief before approaching suitable suppliers.
Submit a fertigation project briefSeedMatch Group is an independent agricultural project sourcing and RFQ platform. We are not a farm, seed producer, fertilizer manufacturer, irrigation manufacturer, greenhouse builder, EPC contractor, lender or financial advisor. Supplier and project partner outreach is handled only after a commercial project brief is reviewed.
Indicative fertigation head station CAPEX bands
Bands are indicative planning ranges for the head station itself — excluding field mainlines, drip laterals, civil works, fertilizer stock and installation labour where these are contracted separately.
| Head station class | Typical scope | Indicative CAPEX | Typically suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venturi-based, manual | Screen filter, 1–2 venturi channels, manual valves | USD 3,000–9,000 | Open-field blocks up to ~10 ha, single recipe |
| Semi-automatic dosing | Sand + disc filtration, 3–4 dosing pumps, EC/pH monitoring | USD 12,000–35,000 | Polyhouse and open-field with variable recipes |
| Automated head unit | 4–6 channels, closed-loop EC/pH, mixing tank, controller, remote access | USD 35,000–90,000 | Commercial greenhouse 1–5 ha, high-value crops |
| High-tech / recirculating | 6–8 channels, dual mixing, drain recovery, UV or slow-sand disinfection, climate-computer integration | USD 90,000–300,000+ | Hydroponic and semi-closed greenhouses above 2 ha |
Indicative only. Not financial advice. Not agronomic advice. Not engineering design. Final numbers require supplier, agronomist, engineer and local regulatory review.
What actually moves the price
- •Dosing channel count: each additional acid or stock channel adds a pump, sensor, tank and control logic.
- •Injection method: venturi is cheap but pressure-hungry; piston or diaphragm dosing pumps hold accuracy at variable flow.
- •Water quality: iron, manganese, hardness or high bicarbonate can force acid dosing, oxidation and extra filtration stages ahead of the unit.
- •Filtration class: screen vs disc vs media, automatic backflush, and the redundancy required for continuous irrigation.
- •Control level: monitor-only, closed-loop EC/pH, or full recipe management integrated with the climate computer.
- •Recirculation: drain collection, disinfection (UV, heat, slow sand) and re-dosing can double the head station scope.
- •Peak flow: m³/h at design pressure sizes pumps, pipe diameters, valves and the cabinet, more than area alone does.
- •Materials and certification: PP vs stainless, IP rating, CE/UL compliance and food-safety documentation for export crops.
OPEX drivers to model alongside the CAPEX
- •Pumping energy at design flow and pressure, and how many hours a day the station actually runs.
- •Sensor consumables: EC/pH probe replacement and calibration solution on a quarterly cycle.
- •Filter maintenance: backflush water losses, media replacement, disc cleaning labour.
- •Acid and fertilizer consumption, which follows water quality and crop programme rather than equipment brand.
- •Spare parts holding for dosing pumps and solenoids where downtime stops irrigation.
What suppliers need before they can quote
- •Irrigated area in hectares and whether the project is phased.
- •Design peak flow (m³/h) and required pressure at the head.
- •A recent water analysis: EC, pH, bicarbonate, hardness, iron, manganese, chloride, sodium.
- •Crop and growing system: soil, substrate, or recirculating hydroponics.
- •Number of independent irrigation sectors and valves to be controlled.
- •Desired number of stock tanks and dosing channels, including acid.
- •Power supply available at the head station and whether backup is required.
- •Automation ambition and any climate computer or SCADA it must integrate with.
Quote-readiness checklist
- •Water analysis less than 12 months old.
- •Sector map with valve count and the longest run from the head.
- •Stated recirculation decision: free-drain or recirculating.
- •Scope statement: head station only, or head station plus field distribution and installation.
- •Named project owner, budget band in USD and target commissioning window.
Common risks on fertigation projects
- •Quotes compared on channel count while filtration and control scope differ silently.
- •Water analysis taken after the equipment is specified, forcing retrofit of pre-treatment.
- •Undersized mixing tank so recipe changes lag behind irrigation demand.
- •Controllers supplied without local support or training, leaving the unit run in manual.
- •Recirculation planned in phase two but no space, drain fall or disinfection allowance left in phase one.
The SeedMatch RFQ process
- •You submit the project brief.
- •A specialist reviews it and asks for whatever is missing.
- •Only after that review are suitable suppliers approached.
- •Responses come back in comparable format with scope differences flagged.
- •All communication is managed through SeedMatch.
Request a fertigation head station quote
Send area, peak flow, water analysis, dosing channels, control level, budget range and timeline. A specialist reviews the brief before any supplier is approached.
FAQ
Request a human-reviewed quote for a fertigation head station. Submit irrigated area, crop, water source and analysis, number of dosing channels, control ambition, budget band and target commissioning date. SeedMatch reviews the brief before approaching suitable suppliers.
Submit a fertigation project brief