Quick answer
For selling at a farmers market, the best all-round crate is a vented, stackable box in the 24 × 16 in (60 × 40 cm) footprint — it fits a standard 48 × 40 in pallet four to a layer, sits well on a tailgate or folding table, and holds 15–25 lb of most produce. Choose collapsible PP corrugated plastic crates ($4–10 each, factory-direct far less) if you haul produce every week and want a washable, printable box that folds flat in the truck; injection-molded plastic crates ($10–25) for heavy root crops and years of hard use; wooden bushel baskets and crates ($8–20) for display appeal on single-season use; and corrugated cardboard display boxes ($1–3) when the box leaves with the customer. Whatever you pick, buy one footprint and two or three heights so everything stacks.
Farmers market crate types compared
| Crate type | Indicative 2026 US price* | Empty weight (24 × 16 in) | Service life | Washable | Folds flat | Branding | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden bushel basket / wood crate | $8–20 | 2–4 lb | 1–2 seasons; splinters, nails, absorbs juice | No | No (nests) | Stencil or burned logo | Display appeal, apples, squash, pumpkins |
| Injection-molded vented plastic crate (RPC style) | $10–25 retail; $6–12 bulk | 3–4.5 lb | 5–10 years, 100+ trips | Yes | Some collapsible models | Hot-stamp or in-mold label | Root crops, heavy fruit, weekly hauling for years |
| Collapsible PP corrugated plastic crate / tote | $4–10 retail; $2.5–6 factory-direct at container quantities | 1–2 lb | 1–3 seasons, 20–50 trips | Yes | Yes (70% less truck and storage space) | 1–2 color print, full custom size | Vendors who transport weekly, CSA boxes, berries, greens, tomatoes |
| Corrugated cardboard produce box | $1–3 | 0.5–1 lb | Single use (2–3 uses if dry) | No | Ships flat | Full-color print | Boxes that leave with the customer, bulk sales, dry produce |
| Waxed cardboard box | $2–4 | 0.7–1.2 lb | Single use; not recyclable | No | Ships flat | Print before waxing | Iced or hydro-cooled greens and sweet corn |
*Indicative per-unit prices for small quantities from US farm-supply and packaging retailers, and for pallet or container quantities direct from the factory; actual prices vary with size, thickness, print and freight.
The cost that matters is cost per market day, not sticker price. A $6 PP corrugated crate used 30 times costs $0.20 per trip; a $15 molded crate used 300 times costs $0.05 per trip but ties up more cash up front and needs a bigger truck; a $2 cardboard box used once costs $2 per trip. Our harvest bins cost guide works the same arithmetic for pallet-size bins, and the RPC rental vs buying guide covers pooled crates.
Produce crate and bin sizes: what fits where
Most North American produce crates are built on two footprints that tile a 48 × 40 in pallet: 24 × 16 in (60 × 40 cm, four per layer) and 16 × 12 in (40 × 30 cm, eight per layer). Heights set the capacity.
| Crate size (L × W × H) | Volume | Typical net weight | Good for | Per pallet layer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 × 12 × 6 in (40 × 30 × 15 cm) | ≈ 14 L / 3.7 gal | 5–8 lb | Berries, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, herbs | 8 |
| 16 × 12 × 9 in (40 × 30 × 23 cm) | ≈ 22 L / 5.8 gal | 8–12 lb | Peppers, cucumbers, stone fruit | 8 |
| 24 × 16 × 5 in (60 × 40 × 12 cm) | ≈ 22 L / 5.8 gal | 8–12 lb | Single-layer tomatoes, peaches, avocados, display trays | 4 |
| 24 × 16 × 9 in (60 × 40 × 22 cm) | ≈ 42 L / 11 gal | 15–25 lb | Apples, citrus, onions, potatoes, corn — the all-round market crate | 4 |
| 24 × 16 × 12.5 in (60 × 40 × 32 cm) | ≈ 62 L / 16 gal | 20–30 lb | Leafy greens, cabbage, squash, melons | 4 |
| Bushel crate / basket, ≈ 18 × 12 × 12 in | 2,150 in³ = 35.2 L / 9.3 gal | 25–60 lb by crop | Traditional bushel sales of apples, potatoes, peppers, corn | 6–8 |
| Half-bushel basket | 17.6 L / 4.65 gal | 12–30 lb by crop | Peaches, tomatoes, peppers sold by the half bushel | 12–16 |
| Bulk bin, 48 × 40 × 30 in | ≈ 850 L | 800–1,200 lb | Field harvest, storage, wholesale — not a market crate | 1 |
How much does a bushel of produce weigh?
A bushel is a volume (2,150.42 cubic inches, about 35.2 litres), so the weight depends on the crop. The standard weights used by US state agriculture departments and extension services are:
| Crop | Weight per bushel | Crop | Weight per bushel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | 42–48 lb | Peaches | 48–50 lb |
| Potatoes | 60 lb | Pears | 48–50 lb |
| Sweet potatoes | 50–55 lb | Tomatoes | 53 lb |
| Onions (dry) | 57 lb | Bell peppers | 25–30 lb |
| Cucumbers | 48 lb | Snap beans | 28–32 lb |
| Sweet corn (in husk) | 35 lb | Summer squash | 40–44 lb |
| Carrots (topped) | 50 lb | Cabbage | 50 lb |
| Beets (topped) | 52 lb | Spinach (loose) | 20–25 lb |
Use these to size crates and to price by the bushel or half bushel; a crate rated for 20 lb should not be sold as a "bushel of potatoes".
Bushel boxes: cardboard, wood or plastic?
"Bushel box" usually means a 1⅑-bushel corrugated cardboard box (about 19 × 12 × 11 in) used for apples, peppers and cucumbers at wholesale, or the wooden bushel basket used at retail. Both are single-trip. A reusable alternative is a 24 × 16 × 9 in PP corrugated crate: it holds roughly a bushel of most crops (35–42 L), folds flat, is washable, and can be printed with the farm name. Growers who sell repeat wholesale accounts often keep cardboard bushel boxes for the sale and PP corrugated crates for their own harvest, transport and market display, so nothing that costs money leaves the farm unless it is paid for.
Where to buy farmers market crates and produce bins in the US
- Farm-supply stores and grower co-ops — wooden bushel baskets, cardboard bushel boxes and a few molded plastic crates in small quantities; highest unit price, no minimum.
- Packaging distributors and online industrial catalogs — molded plastic totes, cardboard produce boxes and some PP corrugated totes by the carton or pallet; good for 25–500 units with fast delivery.
- Reusable plastic crate manufacturers — injection-molded vented crates by the pallet, often with minimums of 200–500 units; ask about collapsible models to cut return freight.
- PP corrugated box factories, factory-direct — custom sizes, print and wall thickness at the lowest unit cost, with minimums of about 1,000–3,000 crates; a 20 ft container carries 8,000–12,000 folded 24 × 16 in crates and a 40 ft high-cube roughly twice that. Fuxing ships PP corrugated crates and totes from Davao and Manila, Philippines, which are outside the scope of the 2026 US AD/CVD case on corrugated plastic boxes from China and Vietnam (the 19% reciprocal tariff on Philippine goods still applies).
- Grower groups and CSA networks — pooling a container order between several farms is the usual way small vendors reach factory-direct pricing.
For a one-stop order that also covers mesh and vented produce bags, cartons and crates, see one-stop farm packaging.
How to specify a PP corrugated market crate
- Footprint and height — 24 × 16 in or 16 × 12 in outside dimensions so crates stack on each other and on pallets; two heights cover most crops.
- Wall thickness — 4 mm (750–850 g/m²) for berries, greens and tomatoes up to 15 lb; 5 mm (950–1,100 g/m²) for apples, citrus, potatoes and anything sold wet or iced. See the corrugated plastic thickness guide.
- Ventilation — 4–8% open area in the side walls for cooling and airflow; solid walls for mushrooms and cut flowers.
- Hand holes and stacking tabs — reinforced hand holes on the short sides; nesting tabs so full crates lock when stacked five or six high.
- Corners — ultrasonically welded or riveted corners for reusable crates; glued corners only for single-season use.
- Material — virgin food-grade polypropylene with UV stabiliser if crates sit in the sun at outdoor markets; natural, white or a brand color.
- Print — one or two colors on two long sides; include the farm name, "Return to" line and a QR code to your CSA or order page.
Frequently asked questions
What size crate is best for a farmers market stand?
A 24 × 16 in (60 × 40 cm) footprint crate about 9 in (22 cm) high — roughly 42 litres — is the most useful single size: it holds 15–25 lb of apples, citrus, onions, potatoes or corn, four crates tile a standard pallet, and two crates fit side by side on a 6 ft folding table. Add a shallow 5 in crate for single-layer display of tomatoes and peaches and a 12.5 in crate for greens and squash.
How much does a bushel of produce weigh?
A bushel is 2,150 cubic inches (35.2 litres), so weight depends on the crop: apples 42–48 lb, potatoes 60 lb, tomatoes 53 lb, onions 57 lb, cucumbers 48 lb, peaches 48–50 lb, sweet corn 35 lb, bell peppers 25–30 lb and snap beans 28–32 lb are the standard figures used by US state agriculture departments.
Are corrugated plastic produce crates food safe and washable?
Yes, when made from virgin food-grade polypropylene. PP corrugated is non-absorbent, does not splinter or rust, and can be pressure-washed and sanitized between markets; wooden crates absorb juice and cannot be sanitized, and cardboard is single use. Ask the supplier for food-contact compliance documentation and third-party certificates such as ISO 9001 and SGS test reports.
Where can I buy produce crates in bulk?
For 25–500 crates use packaging distributors or a reusable plastic crate manufacturer; for 1,000 crates or more, order factory-direct from a PP corrugated box factory, where custom sizes and print cost the least per unit. A 20 ft container holds 8,000–12,000 folded 24 × 16 in PP corrugated crates, and grower groups often pool one container order between several farms.
Plastic vs wooden crates: which is cheaper per season?
Wooden crates and bushel baskets have the lowest sticker price after cardboard but last one or two seasons and cannot be washed. Collapsible PP corrugated crates cost about the same per unit, last one to three seasons (20–50 trips), fold flat and are washable, so they are usually the cheapest reusable option per market day. Injection-molded crates cost two to three times more up front but last five to ten years, which wins for heavy root crops hauled every week.
Can farmers market crates be printed with my farm's logo?
Yes. PP corrugated crates take one- or two-color screen or flexo print on the long sides, cardboard boxes take full-color print, and molded plastic crates are hot-stamped or labeled in the mold. Printed crates double as signage at the stand and cut losses because customers and helpers can see who the crate belongs to.
Need crates for the coming season?
Tell us your crops, crate size and quantity. We will recommend footprint, wall thickness and ventilation, send a die-line and a printed sample, and quote within 12 business hours from our plants in the Philippines, Vietnam and China.
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