Is Starfruit More Profitable Than Ancient Fruit in Stardew Valley? A Deep Dive
The age-old question among Stardew Valley farmers: Is starfruit more profitable than ancient fruit? The short answer is: it depends on the context. While starfruit often takes the lead for raw profit and initial cash flow, ancient fruit reigns supreme for long-term, processed product revenue, especially when you factor in the Greenhouse and the kegs available in the game. Let’s break down the nuances to understand which crop truly yields the most wealth in different scenarios.
Starfruit: The King of Quick Cash
Raw Selling Power
Starfruit earns its “iconic” status by boasting a significant base selling price of 750g. Purchased at 400g from the Oasis shop (after unlocking the Vault Community Center bundle), this crop nets a quick profit of 350g per fruit. This alone makes it a solid choice for summer, especially when you need fast cash.
The Impact of Processing
The magic of starfruit truly unfolds when converted into wine. Unaged Starfruit Wine sells for a whopping 3,150g, making it one of the most profitable unaged wines in the game. When aged in the cellar, Starfruit wine can reach the ultimate Iridium quality, commanding a substantial sum. This significant markup makes starfruit wine a powerful source of income for players who are investing in the later stages of the game.
Challenges with Starfruit
Despite its impressive value, starfruit isn’t without its drawbacks. Its 13-day growth time (without Speed-Gro) is the longest of any summer crop. Plus, the requirement to buy seeds from the Oasis Shop may present a bottleneck for large-scale farming.
Ancient Fruit: The Long-Term Investment
The Power of Regrowth
Unlike Starfruit, ancient fruit is a regrowing crop, meaning you only need one seed initially. This is its biggest advantage. Once planted, ancient fruit plants produce fruit every 7 days, a pace unmatched by any other high-value crop. Although this process may be slow to begin with, especially with acquiring the seed, it sets the stage for unlimited harvests.
Processing Ancient Fruit
While raw ancient fruit sells for less than starfruit (550g-1100g depending on quality), its true potential emerges when processed into wine. Unaged Ancient Fruit Wine fetches a base price of 1,650g, but this jumps to between 1,650g-2475g with iridium quality, making it another top contender for long-term cash flow. However, it’s the consistent 7-day harvest in a greenhouse that truly sets it apart.
A Steady Stream of Profit
The real game-changer for ancient fruit is the Greenhouse. When a greenhouse is filled with ancient fruit plants and processed into wine, the consistent harvests and wine output becomes extremely profitable and largely outpaces starfruit over time. This consistency ensures that you are earning consistently without having to rebuy seeds every harvest.
Direct Comparison and Profitability Analysis
Raw Profit
In terms of raw fruit sales alone, starfruit leads, especially in the initial game stages. Its 750g selling price is higher than that of un-aged ancient fruit.
Processed Profit
The game changes significantly with processing. While starfruit wine holds an edge over un-aged ancient fruit wine in terms of base price, the consistent regrowth and high output of the latter in a greenhouse scenario makes it incredibly valuable. When aged to iridium, the difference becomes minimal and ancient fruit can become the better option.
Long-Term Sustainability
Ancient fruit wins due to its regrowing nature. The lack of any need for constant seed-buying is what ultimately pushes ancient fruit ahead in the long run. With the proper amount of time investment and use of the Greenhouse, ancient fruit provides a stable, high-volume income.
Initial Investment
The start-up cost for starfruit is higher since you need to purchase the seeds from Sandy regularly. Ancient fruit, after the initial seed acquisition, becomes self-sustaining.
Harvesting and Processing Time
Ancient fruit has a faster 7-day harvest rate and a quicker processing time when turned into wine, compared to the 13-day growth rate of starfruit
The Verdict
For short-term profit, starfruit wins. It provides immediate cash during summer and also generates the most profit when processed into wine. However, for long-term and stable profitability, especially if you are willing to invest in the Greenhouse, ancient fruit is unmatched due to its consistent 7-day regrow and high volume output.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific goals in the game. If you need quick cash during the early to mid-game, starfruit is your best option, but for players looking for long term and consistent profitability, ancient fruit is better.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the base selling price of raw starfruit in Stardew Valley?
The base selling price of a raw starfruit is 750g.
2. Where can you buy starfruit seeds?
Starfruit seeds can be bought at the Oasis Shop located in the desert from Sandy after completing the Vault Community Center bundle.
3. How long does it take for starfruit to grow?
Starfruit takes 13 days to grow without the use of any fertilizers.
4. What is the base selling price of raw ancient fruit?
The base selling price of raw ancient fruit varies from 550g to 1100g, depending on the quality.
5. How do you obtain ancient fruit seeds?
Ancient fruit seeds are very rare and can be obtained from artifact spots, killing bugs in the mines, or by using the seed maker.
6. How long does it take for ancient fruit to regrow?
Ancient fruit takes 7 days to regrow.
7. What is the base selling price of unaged Starfruit Wine?
Unaged Starfruit Wine sells for 3,150g.
8. What is the base selling price of unaged Ancient Fruit Wine?
Unaged Ancient Fruit Wine sells for 1,650g.
9. What is the best place to plant ancient fruit?
The Greenhouse is the best place to plant ancient fruit due to its consistent yields throughout all the seasons.
10. Which fruit makes the most profit when turned into wine in the long term?
Ancient fruit makes the most profit in the long term when planted in a greenhouse and converted into wine due to its regrowing nature and 7-day harvest.
11. Can Starfruit be grown outside of summer?
No, unless it is grown in the greenhouse.
12. Is it worth selling raw ancient fruit?
Selling raw ancient fruit is good for early to mid-game, but it is more profitable when turned into wine or jam.
13. Is it better to sell Starfruit as fruit or as wine?
Selling starfruit as wine is much more profitable than selling it as a raw fruit.
14. Should I use Speed-Gro on my starfruit?
Yes, using Speed-Gro is highly recommended to shorten the growth time of starfruit, maximizing your profits in summer.
15. What is the single most profitable crop in Stardew Valley if we ignore the growth time?
Ignoring growth time, Sweet Gem Berry is the most profitable crop, but ancient fruit and starfruit are still the better options because Sweet Gem Berry seeds cannot be purchased.