Economics of High Tunnel Vegetable & Strawberry Production ...€¦ · Economics of High Tunnel...
Transcript of Economics of High Tunnel Vegetable & Strawberry Production ...€¦ · Economics of High Tunnel...
1
Economics of High Tunnel Vegetable & Strawberry
Production in the Central Midwest
Presented at the 2007 Indiana Horticultural Congress and Trade Show
Lewis W. Jett, Ph.DState Vegetable and Small Fruits SpecialistWest Virginia University2012 Agric. Sciences BuildingMorgantown, WV 26506304-293-6131 (office)
Atlas ® High Tunnel, Farmington, MO
PVC (Home-made) High Tunnel, Kansas City, MO
FarmTek ®High Tunnels, St. Louis, MO
Haygrove® Multi-bay High Tunnel, St. Louis, MO
Stuppy® Polar Cubs, Columbia, MO
Zimmerman High Tunnel, Dittmer, MO
Stuppy® Polar Cubs, Olathe, KS
Mobile PVC High Tunnel, Troy, MO
Costs of High Tunnels (frame only) Used by Growers in the Central Midwest:
Manufacturer Dimensions Cost ($/ft2)
Atlas Greenhouses 30 ft. x 96 ft. 0.74
Conley Greenhouse Mfg 24 ft. x 96 ft. 0.72
FarmTek 26 ft. x 96 ft. 1.16
Harnois Greenhouses 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.97
Haygrove Tunnels 24 ft. x 200 ft. 1.03
Stuppy Greenhouse 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.96
Zimmerman Welding 30 ft. x 96 ft. 1.00
Average 25 ft. x 96 ft.
(2400 ft2)
0.94 (1.44)
Costs of High Tunnels (frame only) Used by Growers in the Central Midwest:
Manufacturer Dimensions Cost ($/ft2)
Atlas Greenhouses 30 ft. x 96 ft. 0.74
FarmTek 26 ft. x 96 ft. 1.16
Haygrove Tunnels 24 ft. x 200 ft. 1.03
Stuppy Greenhouse 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.96
Zimmerman Welding 30 ft. x 96 ft. 1.00
Average 25 ft. x 96 ft.
(2400 ft2)
0.94 (1.44)
2
Small high tunnels
Large high tunnels
Wide end walls for passive ventilation of the high tunnels:
Greenhouse Capital Requirements: ≈ $6.50 per square foot
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
No. res pondent s
Tom
atoes
Cucurbits
Peppers
Salad Greens
Spinach
Green B
eans
Beets
Brassicas
Carrots
Onions
Peas
Potatoes
Strawberries
Herbs
Cut Flow
ers
Crops being grown within high tunnels in the Central Great Plains:
Source: 2004-05 Central Great Plains High Tunnel Survey
High Tunnel TomatoesHigh Tunnel Cucumbers, Melons and Squash
3
High Tunnel Lettuce and Salad & Micro Greens
High Tunnel StrawberriesHigh Tunnel Small Fruit
High Tunnel Figs
High Tunnel Flowers
4
Leafy greens
MelonsSpri
ng/W
inte
rFa
llSu
mm
er
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Strawberries
Leafy greens
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Mixed Crops
Wholesale Cooperative Produce Auctions
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
May17
May24
May31
June7
June14
June21
June28
July4
July9
July12
July18
Date
Ave
rage
Pri
ce ($
/lb
Wholesale Price ($/lb)
Wholesale tomato prices: May-July (2004)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Retail Wholesale
Pric
e/lb
($)
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
lbs
tom
atoe
s
Pounds 15
Yield/Plant Yield/High Tunnel
Yield/acre equiv
0500
100015002000250030003500400045005000
lbs
tom
atoe
s
Pounds 15 4680
Yield/Plant Yield/High Tunnel
Yield/acre equiv
High Tunnel Tomato Production Costs
Pre-harvest Costs:
Planting Temp. and Humidity Mgt.
Stakes, Twine or Cages
Material Costs per 1000 ft2
Stakes & Twine: $48.00
Labor: $50.00
Material Costs per 1000 ft2
Cages: $170.00-340.00
Labor: $20.00
6
Ventilation (air movement) is important for tomato pollination.
5-8 ft. Sidewalls Roof Vents
Wide EndwallsSolar-powered Sidewall Vents
Pruning may be necessary to promote earliness and reduce biomass within the high tunnel.
Drip irrigation In-line fittings
Soluble fertilizer
7
Row or Crop Covers: 1.5 ¢ per ft2
Mulching for weed control:Intercropping can increase productivity per ft2.
8
Pest Management Costs
Insect screen
Beneficial Insects
Harvesting and Packaging
60 man hours per commercial high tunnel
Total Production Costs: $5.50/plant
9
010002000300040005000600070008000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Price/lb. ($)
Net
Rev
enue
/100
0 ft2
($
8 lbs /plant 10 lbs/plant 12 lbs/plant
How profitable are high tunnel tomatoes?
010002000300040005000600070008000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Price/lb. ($)
Net
Rev
enue
/100
0 ft2
($
8 lbs /plant 10 lbs/plant 12 lbs/plant
Break Even Price
How profitable are high tunnel tomatoes?
Leafy greens
MelonsSpri
ng/W
inte
rFa
llSu
mm
er
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Strawberries
Leafy greens
Tomatoes
Strawberries
Mixed Crops
VINE CROPS
10
High Tunnel Cucurbit Pre-harvest Costs Trellising:
Trellising Cucurbits:
Improves harvest efficiency.
Increases marketable yields.
11
Mulch:
Pollination
Pest Management
12
-400-200
0200400600800
10001200140016001800
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Price/Melon. ($)
Net
Rev
enue
($) p
er 1
000
ft2
3 Melons/plant 4 Melons/plant 5 Melons/plant
How profitable are high tunnel cantaloupes?
Wholesale Retail
Wholesale Cantaloupe Prices (4 year avg.)
00.20.40.60.8
11.21.41.61.8
2
June 28 July15 August 15 Sept. 15
Pric
e/m
elon
($)
Source: Wholesale Cantaloupe (muskmelon) prices, Central Missouri Produce Auction, Latham, MO ( 2002-2005).
13
020406080
100120140160180
No.
Dasher II
Indy
Socrates
Diva
Tim
or
Genuine
Tasty G
reen
Millago
Cam
aro
Tyria
Hazera 456
Cultivar
Boxes (45 ct) per High Tunnel
Fall High Tunnel Cucumber Yields-2005
Wholesale Cucumber prices (4 year avg.)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
June10 June 25 July 5 July 16 August 15 Sept. 15
Pric
e/bo
x ($
)
Prices at MO Wholesale Cooperative Produce Auctions
• http://agebb.missouri.edu/hort/auction/index.htm
High Tunnel Strawberries
Plant Costs
14
Packaging Costs Marketable Yields
-5000
50010001500200025003000350040004500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Price/lb. ($)
Net
Rev
enue
($) p
er 1
000
ft2
0.75 lbs/plant 1.0 lbs/plant 1.2 lbs/plant
How profitable are high tunnel strawberries?
$1.28/lb break even price
$3.00/lb Avg. price from test mkts.
Thank you, and please visit the high tunnel web site: