TOMATOES, STAKED: FRESH MARKET, TRICKLE IRRIGATED
Kentucky Estimated per Acre Costs and Returns for 2001
Quantity Unit $/Unit Total
GROSS RETURNS
Tomatoes  (25# box) 1600 box  $    8.00  $  12,800.00 a,b
VARIABLE COSTS
Production
   Plants 4.5 1000  $   90.00  $      405.00
   Lime 0.5 ton  $   12.12  $          6.06
   Transplant Labor 15 hours  $    8.00  $      120.00
   Fertilizer:  10-20-20 12 cwt  $    8.50  $      102.00
   Fertilizer:  Starter 2 cwt  $   12.50  $        25.00
   Fertilizer:  Ammonium Nitrate 30 lb  $    0.09  $          2.63
   Black Plastic/Drip Lines 1 acre  $ 300.00  $      300.00 d
   Stakes & Twine 1 acre  $ 115.00  $      115.00 c
   Herbicides  (row middles only) 1 acre  $        39.88 e
   Insecticides 5 apps.  $        89.73 e
   Fungicides 6 apps.  $      130.45 e
   Irrigation 90 hrs.  $    0.40  $        36.00 c
   Machinery Variable Costs 1 acre  $   45.46  $        45.46 f
Total Preharvest Variable Costs  $   1,417.20
HARVESTING AND MARKETING
 Boxes 1600 boxes  $    1.00  $   1,600.00
 Trays 50 each  $    2.25  $      112.50
 Plastic Disposal 18 hours  $    8.00  $      144.00
 Plastic Disposal Fee 1 fee  $   10.00  $        10.00
 Hired Labor
   Harvest  $    1.65 box  $   2,640.00 g
   Grade/Pack  $    0.65 box  $   1,040.00 g
   Marketing Costs (10% of Gross) 10.0% gross  $   1,280.00
 Hauling Variable Costs 1600 boxes  $    0.05  $        80.00 f
Total Harvesting and Marketing Cost  $   6,906.50
Interest on Variable Costs  $      219.17
TOTAL VARIABLE COST  $   8,542.87
RETURN ABOVE VARIABLE COSTS  $   4,257.13
FIXED COSTS
   Machinery and Equipment  $      155.59 f
   Depreciation on Irrigation System  $      159.94 c
   Taxes on Land  $          5.00
   Insurance  $        64.00
TOTAL FIXED COSTS  $      384.53
TOTAL EXPENSES  $   8,927.41
RETURN TO OPERATOR LABOR, LAND, CAPITAL, & MGT.  $   3,872.59
Operator and Unpaid Family Labor 220 hrs.  $    8.00  $   1,760.00
RETURN TO LAND, CAPITAL, AND MANAGEMENT  $   2,112.59
a  Average Yield for US was 270 cwt (about 1080 boxes) per acre for all tomatoes from 1992-1999.
b  Price based on USDA season average price received by producers June-Aug for 1994-99 at $27.74/cwt and monthly trends
     in 1998-99 Atlanta, Detroit, and St. Louis terminal market averages.
c  Reflects 3-year amortized cost for stakes and twine.  First year expense will be in the $225 range
d  2000 UK estimate for trickle irrigation.  Based on $1244 fixed costs, st. line depreciation, 7-year useful life
e  Pesticide costs based on recommended applications of various products using 1999 UK product costs
f   Machinery costs based on 1996 NC State standards used in tomato budget and 1999 Iowa State estimated machinery costs
g  Based on NC State Budgets with revisions by Kentucky vegetable experts.  1996 NC State total for harvest/pack:  $2.50/box