The verdict in three sentences
For a Dublin headquartered operator running salmon pens off the west coast and mussel and oyster sites, a farm management app covering stock, feed, sensor data, licence reporting and traceability for export buyers takes 12 to 28 weeks in 2026, for 40,000 to 140,000 EUR. A useful first release with offline capable site entry, biomass and feed conversion tracking can run within 12 to 14 weeks if scope is held. Delays rarely come from coding: they mostly come from unclear batch rules and offline testing on remote sites done too late.
What the app must do
The operations director tracks smolt inputs to harvest, daily feeding, mortality, lice counts and treatments, water quality from sensors, grading and transfers, and harvests sold to processors and export buyers in France and Germany who expect batch level traceability. Licence holders also report regularly to the competent authorities.
| Farm parameter | 2026 market ballpark |
|---|---|
| Units | 12 salmon pens, 6 shellfish sites |
| Daily entries | Feed, mortality, environmental readings |
| Sampling | Weekly to monthly biomass and health checks |
| Key indicator | Feed conversion ratio per pen and batch |
| Sensors | Oxygen, temperature, salinity feeds |
| Sales | Processors and export buyers, invoice and EDI |
| Project length | 12 to 28 weeks |
| Budget | 40,000 to 140,000 EUR |
The phase by phase plan
| Phase | Content | Realistic duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Onsite discovery | Visits to a pen site and a shellfish site, review of logs and reporting templates | 2 weeks | Validated data model and screen list |
| 2. Tested wireframes | Entry screens tested by site staff on rugged tablets | 1 to 2 weeks | Approved wireframes |
| 3. Build release 1 | Units, batches, feed, mortality, sampling, FCR, offline mode | 5 to 8 weeks | App on site tablets |
| 4. Field test | Real use through a full sampling cycle | 3 to 4 weeks | Prioritised fix list |
| 5. Build release 2 | Sensor integration, treatment records, licence reporting exports | 4 to 6 weeks | Compliance and sensor module live |
| 6. Traceability and sales (optional) | Batch to buyer traceability, harvest documents, buyer portal | 3 to 4 weeks | Export ready traceability |
| 7. Go live and training | Migration of live batches, staff training | 1 to 2 weeks | App in production |
| Total | 12 to 28 weeks |
Phase 4 is the one teams want to cut, and it is a mistake: a month of real sampling exposes the actual entry, sync and glove friendly usability problems.
The most common causes of delay
| Cause | Typical delay | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Unclear batch rules (grading, splits, transfers) | 2 to 4 weeks | Write transfer rules during discovery |
| Offline mode tested late on remote sites | 2 to 3 weeks | Test without signal from release 1 |
| Sensor vendor API access | 2 to 5 weeks | Request API keys and documentation in week 1 |
| Reporting formats changing mid project | 1 to 3 weeks | Make report templates configurable |
| Sign off delayed during harvest or storms | 2 to 4 weeks | Schedule reviews outside harvest windows |
| Scope creep | 2 to 6 weeks | Park new ideas for the next release |
Kolonell is one nearshore option alongside Irish agencies, IT services firms, freelancers and off the shelf aquaculture platforms. Kolonell's prices are 3,810 to 6,100 EUR for a simple application, 6,100 to 10,670 EUR for a medium one and 10,670 to 22,870 EUR and up for a complex one, with maintenance from 53 to 183 EUR a month. Whoever you pick, ask for a phase plan with a protected field test.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Aoife, operations director of a salmon and shellfish company headquartered in Dublin, produces about 1,800 tonnes of salmon a year. She only sees feed conversion clearly at harvest, too late to act on underperforming pens.
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Feed is roughly half of her production cost, around 4.5 million EUR a year as a 2026 estimate. Spotting underperforming pens earlier and improving average FCR by 2% saves about 90,000 EUR of feed a year. A 95,000 EUR app delivered in 20 weeks with support pays back in just over a year, and export buyers get batch level traceability they increasingly expect.
FAQ
Can we get a first release in 12 weeks?
Yes, if you limit it to units, batches, feed, mortality and sampling with offline mode. Sensors, reporting and traceability then follow in a second release of 7 to 10 weeks.
Why does offline mode add time?
Sync and conflict handling between tablets usually adds 1 to 3 weeks, but it is essential on exposed west coast sites with patchy signal.
How long does sensor integration take?
With documented APIs, 2 to 3 weeks per sensor vendor. Without them, expect 2 to 5 extra weeks, so request access in week 1.
Do licence reports belong in release 1?
Usually not. Keep the data clean in release 1, then build configurable report exports in release 2, which avoids rework when templates change.
What budget should we plan?
As a 2026 market estimate, 40,000 to 140,000 EUR depending on scope, plus monthly support from 53 to 183 EUR at Kolonell's maintenance tiers or more with larger providers.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your sites, species and sales channels, and we will return a phase by phase plan, an indicative budget and a realistic go live date. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
