Lettuce Production Practices and Sample Costs

Table 1. COSTS PER ACRE TO PRODUCE LOOSE LEAF LETTUCE
Coachella Valley - 1996

COSTS PER ACRE TO PRODUCE LOOSE LEAF LETTUCE
  Cash and Labor Costs per Acre  
Operation Operation Time (Hrs/A) Labor Cost Fuel, Lube & Repairs Material Cost Custom/Rent Total Cost Your Cost
Preplant:  
Plow 1.15 12 31 0 0 43  
Stubble Disc 0.76 8 19 0 0 27  
Rip 1.15 12 2 0 25 39  
Landplane 0.00 0 0 0 15 15  
Commericial Fertilizer 0.00 0 0 0 70 70  
Disc 2x 1.15 16 33 0 0 49  
Soil Analysis 0.00 0 0 0 2 2  
Pre-Irrigate 5.60 41 0 43 0 84  
Insecticide 0.06 1 0 42 0 43  
List 1.15 12 22 0 0 34  
Pre-Plant Fertilization 0.39 4 10 64 0 78  
TOTAL PREPLANT COSTS 11.81 104 118 149 112 482  
 
Cultural:  
Plant 1.36 14 43 125 0 182  
Bird Control 0.00 0 0 0 36 36  
Herbicide 0.06 1 0 75 0 76  
Irrigate 16.80 124 0 129 0 252  
Cultivate 0.50 5 8 0 0 13  
Thinning & Weeding 0.00 0 0 0 160 160  
Inject Fertilizer 3x 1.16 12 18 145 0 174  
Insecticide 0.22 2 1 121 0 125  
Beneficial Insects 2.00 15 0 38 0 53  
PCA Field Check 0.00 0 0 0 20 20  
TOTAL CULTURAL COSTS 22.10 172 71 633 216 1091  
 
Harvest:  
Harvest 0.00 0 0 0 2730 2730  
TOTAL HARVEST COSTS 0.00 0 0 0 2730 2730  
 
Postharvest:  
Disc 2x 1.55 16 33 0 0 49  
TOTAL POST-HARVEST COSTS 1.55 16 33 0 0 49  
 
Interest on operating capital @ 11.61%   85  
TOTAL OPERATING COSTS/ACRE 291 221 782 3058 4437  
TOTAL OPERATING COSTS/BOX           5.07  
 
CASH OVERHEAD:  
Office Expense   50  
Liability Insurance   35  
Land Rent   133  
Managment   105  
Sprinkler Pipe   130  
Sprinkler Pump Rent   75  
Property Taxes   3  
Property Insurance   2  
Investment Repairs   1  
TOTAL CASH OVERHEAD COSTS   534  
 
TOTAL CASH COSTS/ACRE   4970  
TOTAL CASH COSTS/BOX   5.68  
 
  Annual Cost  
NON-CASH OVERHEAD: Per Acre Depreciation Interest @ 3.72%  
Investement:  
Shop Building 7 0 0     1  
Shop Tools 7 0 0     1  
Fuel Tanks & Pumps 21 1 0     2  
Surface Pipe 0 0 0     0  
Equipment 456 82 9     91  
TOTAL NON-CASH OVERHEAD COSTS 491 84 10     94  
 
TOTAL COSTS/ACRE           5065  
TOTAL COSTS/BOX           5.79  

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