Table 21: Costs and Returns for Blueberries, Per Acre
Mature Bushes – Years 6-20, Conventional Production Practices, Northeastern United States, 1996
|
| ITEM |
UNIT |
PRICE |
QUANTITY |
TOTAL |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Receipts |
|
|
|
|
| Blueberries |
lb |
$ 0.971 |
6500 |
$ 6,311.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Variable Costs |
|
|
|
|
| Fert ilizer |
|
|
|
|
| N |
lb |
$ 0.32 |
150 |
$ 48.00 |
| P |
lb |
$ 0.32 |
60 |
$ 19.20 |
| K |
lb |
$ 0.14 |
60 |
$ 8.40 |
| Herbicides |
|
|
|
|
| Sinbar 80W |
lb |
$ 24.65 |
2.5 |
$ 61.63 |
| Karmex |
lb |
$ 4.36 |
2.5 |
$ 10.90 |
| Fungicides |
|
|
|
|
| Benlate 50 W |
lb |
$ 15.80 |
1 |
$ 15.80 |
| Funginex |
gallon |
$ 84.70 |
0.4 |
$ 31.76 |
| Lime Sulphur |
gallon |
$ 4.35 |
5 |
$ 21.75 |
| Captan 80W |
lb |
$ 4.10 |
5 |
$ 20.50 |
| Insecticides |
|
|
|
|
| Imid an 70W |
lb |
$ 5.95 |
1.3 |
$ 7.74 |
| Lannate LV |
gallon |
$ 2.25 |
8 |
$ 18.00 |
| Malathion 25WP |
lb |
$ 29.18 |
0.4 |
$ 10.94 |
| Sevin 50W |
lb |
$ 3.15 |
3 |
$ 9.45 |
| Guthion 50W |
lb |
$ 8.10 |
2 |
$ 16.20 |
| Other |
|
|
|
|
| Bee Rental |
hive |
$ 25.00 |
2 |
$ 50.00 |
| Labor |
|
|
|
|
| Operator |
hour |
$ 14.48 |
5.64 |
$ 81.67 |
| Regular Hired |
hour |
$ 10.13 |
0.14 |
$ 1.42 |
| Hand Labor (Pruning) |
hour |
$ 10.13 |
36 |
$ 364.68 |
| Blueberry Harvest (Pickers) |
lb |
$ 0.35 |
6500 |
$ 2,275.00 |
| Marketing |
hour |
7.24 |
8 |
57.92 |
| Irrigation |
|
|
|
|
| Operating Costs |
acre |
$ 200.00 |
1 |
$ 200.00 |
| Diesel Fuel |
|
|
|
|
| Tractors |
gallon |
$ 0.969 |
12.31 |
$ 11.92 |
| Repair & Maintenance |
|
|
|
|
| Tractors |
acre |
$ 24.23 |
1 |
$ 24.23 |
| Implements |
acre |
$ 3.65 |
1 |
$ 3.65 |
| Marketing |
|
|
|
|
| Picking Containers |
doz |
$ 0.30 |
542 |
$ 162.60 |
| Packing Crates |
crate |
$ 0.50 |
542 |
$ 271.00 |
| Cellophane and Rubber Bands |
|
$ 0.02 |
6500 |
$ 130.00 |
| Selling Charges |
gross rev enue |
9% |
|
$ 568.00 |
| Sub-Total |
|
|
|
$ 4,502.36 |
| (Continued on next page) |
|
|
|
|
| Interest on Operating Capitala |
acre |
10% |
1 |
$ 54.14 |
| Total Variable Costs |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 4,556.50 |
| Returns Above Variable Costs |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 1,755.00 |
| Fixed Costs |
|
|
|
|
| Tractors |
acre |
$ 16.19 |
1 |
$ 38.87 |
| Im plements |
acre |
$ 5.50 |
1 |
$ 5.50 |
| Land Charge |
acre |
$ 100.00 |
1 |
$ 100.00 |
| Preproduction Cost Allocationb |
acre |
$ 1,041.96 |
1 |
$ 1,041.96 |
| Total Fixed Costs |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 1,186.33 |
| Total Fixed & Variable Costs |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 5,742.83 |
| Management Fees a |
acre |
7% |
1 |
$ 355.59 |
| Total Costs |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 6,098.42 |
| Net Returns |
acre |
|
1 |
$ 213.08 |