What is the most profitable crop in Stardew Valley?

Starfruit Wine (2,250g base, 3,150g with Artisan) is the most profitable processed crop. For raw selling, Pumpkin (320g) and Cranberries (75g × 2 per harvest) offer the best returns by season.

How do you calculate gold per day for crops?

Gold Per Day = (Sell Price - Seed Cost) ÷ Growth Days. For regrowable crops, factor in all harvests across the season.

Is Strawberry or Cauliflower better in Spring?

Strawberry is better (~21g/day) but only available at the Egg Festival on Day 13. Cauliflower (7.9g/day) is the best crop available from Day 1.

What are the best crops for Year 1?

Year 1: Potatoes → Strawberries (Spring), Blueberries (Summer), Cranberries (Fall). These crops offer great returns without needing Oasis access or Year 2+ seeds.

Should I use Tiller or Artisan profession for crops?

Artisan (+40% on processed goods) is generally superior for endgame profits. Wine, Juice, Jelly, and Pickles all benefit. Tiller (+10% on raw crops) is only better if you sell raw exclusively.

Most Profitable Crops by Season - Stardew Valley 1.6.15 Guide

Understanding Crop Profitability

Raw sell price is just one factor. To truly compare crops, you need to calculate gold per day:

PROFIT FORMULA

Gold/Day = (Sell Price - Seed Cost) ÷ Growth Days

For regrowable crops (Strawberry, Blueberry, Cranberry), factor in all harvests across the season. For processed goods, include the Keg/Jar processing time. See our Keg vs Jar guide for processing calculations.

🌸 Spring Crops Ranked (28 Days)

Crop	Sell Price	Seed Cost	Growth	Gold/Day	Notes
Strawberry	120g	100g	8d (regrows 4d)	~21g/day	Egg Festival only. 5 harvests if planted Day 1
Rhubarb	220g	100g	13d	9.2g/day	Oasis only. Wine = 660g (94g/day after Keg time)
Cauliflower	175g	80g	12d	7.9g/day	Can become Giant Crop (x2 yield)
Coffee Bean	15g (×4)	2,500g	10d (regrows 2d)	~24g/day	Traveling Cart. Makes Coffee (Speed +1)
Potato	80g	50g	6d	5g/day	25% extra harvest chance. Good early game.
Kale	110g	70g	6d	6.7g/day	Solid mid-tier choice

💡 Spring Strategy

Days 1-12: Plant Potatoes or Kale for quick returns.
Day 13: Buy Strawberry seeds at Egg Festival (100g each).
Pro Tip: Save some Strawberries for the Seed Maker to get free seeds for Year 2!

☀️ Summer Crops Ranked (28 Days)

Crop	Sell Price	Seed Cost	Growth	Gold/Day	Notes
Starfruit	750g	400g	13d	26.9g/day	Oasis. Wine = 2,250g (best in game)
Blueberry	50g × 3	80g	13d (regrows 4d)	~22g/day	4 harvests. Easy to grow, no Oasis needed.
Red Cabbage	260g	100g	9d	17.8g/day	Year 2+ only. Great profit.
Melon	250g	80g	12d	14.2g/day	Giant Crop possible
Hops	25g	60g	11d (regrows 1d)	See notes	Pale Ale = 300g in 1.5 days. Best Keg crop!

⚠️ Hops Warning

Hops are the highest gold-per-day when Kegged (Pale Ale = 200g/day per Keg), but they require DAILY harvesting and lots of Kegs. One Hops plant produces 17 Hops per Summer = 25.5 days of Keg time needed.

💡 Summer Strategy

Year 1: Blueberries are your best friend. Plant on Day 1 for 4 harvests.
Year 2+: Unlock the Bus (42,500g) → Starfruit from Oasis.
Endgame: Fill your Greenhouse with Starfruit or Ancient Fruit.

🍂 Fall Crops Ranked (28 Days)

Crop	Sell Price	Seed Cost	Growth	Gold/Day	Notes
Pumpkin	320g	100g	13d	16.9g/day	Giant Crop possible. Top raw seller.
Cranberry	75g × 2	240g	7d (regrows 5d)	~16.5g/day	5 harvests. Great for raw selling.
Grape	80g	60g	10d (regrows 3d)	~12g/day	Wine = 240g. Trellis crop.
Artichoke	160g	30g	8d	16.3g/day	Year 2+ only. Underrated!
Amaranth	150g	70g	7d	11.4g/day	Good mid-tier option
Sweet Gem Berry	3,000g	1,000g	24d	83.3g/day	Rare Seed from Traveling Cart. Cannot process.

💡 Fall Strategy

Giant Crops: Plant Pumpkins in 3x3 grids for a chance at Giant Crops (double yield).
Rare Seeds: Watch the Traveling Cart every Friday & Sunday. Sweet Gem Berry = 3,000g!
Cranberries: 5 harvests per season make them reliable for raw selling.

💼 Profession Impact

Your Level 10 Farming profession choice significantly affects which crops are "best":

🌿 Tiller (+10% Crops)

Applies to raw crops only. Best when selling without processing.

Starfruit:750g → 825g

Pumpkin:320g → 352g

Cauliflower:175g → 192g

⭐ Artisan (+40% Goods)

Applies to Wine, Juice, Jelly, Pickles. The endgame multiplier.

Starfruit Wine:2,250g → 3,150g

Ancient Fruit Wine:1,650g → 2,310g

Pale Ale:300g → 420g

📊 Verdict: Artisan wins for most players

If you process any crops through Kegs or Jars, Artisan's +40% bonus far outweighs Tiller's +10%. The only exception: if you exclusively sell raw crops without any processing.