Sugar Snap Pea
Pisum sativum var. macrocarpon
A cool-season legume prized for its sweet, edible pods. Sugar snap peas are fast-growing (55-70 days), frost-tolerant, and suited to Zones 3-11 as a spring or fall crop. They are a nitrogen-fixing legume that improves soil health, making them an excellent rotation crop. High demand at farmers markets and strong consumer appeal drive premium fresh-market pricing.
Crop Snowflake Score
/acre
/acre
/acre
years
Overview
Sugar snap peas combine the plump seeds of English peas with the edible pod of snow peas. They are a cool-season crop that performs best when daytime temperatures are 55-65°F (13-18°C) and will cease flowering above 85°F (29°C). Plants are frost-hardy and seed can be direct-sown as soon as soil is workable in spring (germination at soil temps as low as 40°F / 4°C, optimal 60-75°F). Most varieties are climbing vines (4-6 ft) requiring trellis support, though dwarf bush types (2-3 ft) are available. Popular varieties include Sugar Snap (original), Super Sugar Snap, Cascadia, and Sugar Ann (dwarf). As legumes, peas fix atmospheric nitrogen through root nodules, reducing fertilizer needs and benefiting subsequent crops. Harvest is labor-intensive and must be done by hand for fresh market. Successive plantings every 2 weeks extend the harvest window. Peas have a very short shelf life (5-7 days) so proximity to markets is important.
Growing Season
- Plant
- early March – mid May
- Harvest
- late May – mid July
- Frost-free days
- 55+
- GDD (base 50°F)
- 650 – 900
Yield
- Typical yield
- 4,000 lbs/acre
- Productive lifespan
- 1 years
- Labor
- 350 hrs/acre
Market Fit
Active Regional Buyers
1 active buyer on record purchasing this crop.
Price Trend Stable/Up
3-year price trend recorded as "increasing".
Supply Below Demand
Commodity vegetable — regional and national supply is well established, limiting headroom for new entrants.
Multiple Buyer Channels
1 recorded buyer and 4 documented market channels. Multiple routes to market.
Value-Added Potential
4 documented market channels, including value-added and direct-to-consumer routes.
Market Growth Projected
Mature vegetable market; growth over a 5-year horizon expected to track population rather than outpace it.
Market Channels
Climate Fit
Hardiness Zone Match
Crop tolerates zones 3-11; region spans 5-6. Overlaps.
GDD Sufficient
Crop needs 650 GDD (base 50F); region accumulates 2500+. Sufficient.
Precipitation Compatible
Crop needs ~16 in; region receives ~38 in/yr. Compatible, irrigation available as supplement.
Frost-Free Season OK
Crop needs 55 frost-free days; region provides ~180. Sufficient.
Chill Hours Met
Not applicable — annual crop has no winter chill requirement.
Climate Trend Favorable
Crop spans 9 hardiness zones (3-11). Wide adaptive range buffers against warming trend.
Soil Compatibility
Soil Texture
Drainage
Infrastructure Fit
Equipment Compatible
4 documented equipment requirements. Within range adaptable from general row-crop or orchard equipment.
Storage Available
2 documented storage/handling requirements, all achievable with conventional on-farm or third-party facilities.
Irrigation Compatible
Requires ~16 in. Deliverable with conventional drip or overhead irrigation.
Field Layout Suitable
Suited to the small-to-mid-size fragmented parcels typical of the region.
Labor Availability
350 labor hr/ac vs catalog 75th percentile 250 hr/ac. Labor-intensive — competes for scarce seasonal labor.
Processing Proximity
1 processor/cooperative buyer on record for this crop, 1 within NY/PA/OH.
Equipment Requirements
planting
Standard push seeder or tractor-mounted seeder for 2-3 inch in-row spacing.
general
Required for vining varieties (4-6 ft). Not needed for dwarf bush types. Reusable netting reduces annual cost.
harvesting
Shallow harvesting lugs to prevent crushing. Hand harvest only for fresh market quality.
post_harvest
Rapid post-harvest cooling is critical. Field heat removal within 1-2 hours of harvest doubles storage life.
Storage Requirements
Fresh cold storage
Temperature
32–34°F
Humidity
90–95%
Max Storage
7 days
Frozen
Temperature
0–0°F
Max Storage
365 days
Finance Fit
Revenue Above Average
Gross revenue $12,000/ac vs catalog median $5,500/ac. Above median.
Input Costs Acceptable
Input cost $8,500/ac vs catalog 75th percentile $5,387/ac. Above the top quartile.
Payback Period OK
Reaches full production in 0 years. Acceptable payback.
Insurance Available
Federal crop insurance or an equivalent risk product is available.
Revenue Per Labor Hour
Net return per labor hour $10.00 ($3,500/ac over 350 hr/ac) vs catalog median $13.16. Below median.
Grants/Subsidies
Vegetable crops are eligible under the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Economics Breakdown
| Avg Price/Unit | $5/lb |
| Gross Revenue/Acre | $12,000 |
| Annual Operating Cost | $8,500/acre |
| Establishment Cost | $0/acre |
| Total Input Cost | $8,500/acre |
| Net Return/Acre | $3,500 |
| Revenue/Labor Hour | — |
| Crop Insurance | Available |
Source: UMN Extension, NC State Extension, Purdue Farmers Market Price Reports (2025)
Risk Fit
Manageable Pest/Disease
4 documented risk factors. Within the range manageable by conventional IPM.
Market Diversified
1 buyer, 4 channels. Not dependent on a single outlet.
Low Establishment Risk
0 years to full production at $0/ac establishment cost. Low establishment exposure.
Climate Resilient
Tolerates zones 3-11 (9 zones). Broad tolerance indicates resilience to seasonal variability.
Regulatory Burden Low
No crop-specific licensing or reporting regime beyond standard food-safety and pesticide rules.
Diversifies Portfolio
Adds a vegetable revenue stream distinct from the region's grape-dominated base.
Known Risks
disease
Most common pea disease. White powdery fungal growth on leaves and pods. Reduces pod quality and yield. Appears most commonly in late season as temperatures rise and humidity increases.
Complex of soilborne pathogens causing yellowing, wilting, and death of plants. Favored by cool, wet soil conditions, especially in poorly drained fields. Can devastate stands.
pest
Green aphids that colonize growing tips and pods. Transmit pea enation mosaic virus and other viral diseases. Can reduce yield and pod quality at high populations.
environmental
Peas cease flowering and pod set when temperatures consistently exceed 85°F (29°C). Crops planted too late will have dramatically reduced yields as summer heat arrives. This is the primary yield-limiting factor.
Nutritional Yield
Nutrition data pending.
Research agents will profile Sugar Snap Pea against USDA FoodData Central on the next maintenance pass. Per-acre nutritional yield will appear here once the per-100g panel is recorded.
Ecosystem Services
Ecosystem service data pending.
The next research-agent rotation will document this crop's contributions to pollinator support, soil health, water quality, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.
Nearby Buyers
Eden Valley Growers
Eden, NY · 30.0 mi
Data Sources
Every data point on this page is traceable to its source. Below you'll find the complete provenance trail — which sources were used, when data was last verified, and a full change history.
Primary sources: UMN Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Cornell Cooperative Extension, NC State Extension, Oregon State Extension
Economics data year: 2025 · Region: lake_erie View economics source →
46 tracked changes across 8 data categories