Economic Feasibility of Hoop House Tomato Production
by Steve Upson
House size: 20 feet by 68 feet (1,360 square feet)
Crop frequency: One per year
| Operating Inputs | ||||||||||
| Item | Unit | Price | Quantity | Value | ||||||
| A | Plants | Plant | 0.60 | 128 | $ 76.80 | |||||
| B | Water | 1,000 Gallons | 1.66 | 14.4 | 24.00 | |||||
| C | Pesticide | 10.00 | ||||||||
| D | Mulch Film | Linear Foot | 0.04 | 250 | 10.00 | |||||
| E | Fertilizer | Pound | 0.50 | 20 | 10.00 | |||||
| F | Compost | 40-lb. Bag | 2.20 | 24 | 52.80 | |||||
| G | Tiller Rental | Day | 45.00 | 1 | 45.00 | |||||
| H | Labor | Hour | 6.00 | 108 | 648.00 | |||||
| I | Operating Interest | 14.61 | ||||||||
|
Total Operating Costs |
$891.21 | |||||||||
| Fixed Costs | ||||||||
| Item | Amount | Depreciation (Years) |
Value | |||||
| Building | ||||||||
| J | Structure | $3,027.00 | 10 | $302.70 | ||||
| K | Windbreak Curtains | 298.00 | 10 | 29.80 | ||||
| L | Plastic Film | 404.00 | 3 | 134.60 | ||||
| Raised Beds | ||||||||
| M | Lumber (Treated) | 251.00 | 10 | 25.10 | ||||
| N | Soil (16 yards) | 246.00 | 10 | 24.60 | ||||
| Equipment | ||||||||
| O | Drip Irrigation | 483.50 | 10 | 48.35 | ||||
| P | Irrometer | 50.00 | 10 | 5.00 | ||||
| Q | Tomato Cages | 234.00 | 5 | 46.80 | ||||
| R | Cage Support | 88.00 | 10 | 8.80 | ||||
| S | Back Pack Sprayer | 570.00 | 10 | 57.00 | ||||
| T | Interest Charge | 682.75 | 10% | 68.27 | ||||
| U | Land Cost | .03 acres @ $5,000/acre | 13.00 | |||||
|
Total Fixed Costs |
$ 764.02 | |||||||
| Labor Allocation | ||
| Start Up Activities | Time Requirement (hrs.) |
|
| Erect Structure | 156 | |
| Install Windbreak Curtain | 8 | |
| Install Plastic Film | 16 | |
| Bed Construction | 8 | |
| Fill Beds | 16 | |
| Cage Construction | 16 | |
| Total | 220 | |
| Annual Activities | Time Requirement (hrs.) |
|
| Bed Solarization | 10 | |
| Bed Preparation | 18 | |
| Planting | 4 | |
| Cage Installation | 5 | |
| Spraying | 3 | |
| Harvest | 48 | |
| Clean Up | 10 | |
| Annual Maintenance | 10 | |
| Total | 108 | |
|
Production |
|||||
| Item | Unit | Price | Quantity | Value | |
| V | Tomatoes | Lbs | $1.00 | 3162 | $3,162.00 |
| Total Costs (Operating and Fixed) | 1,655.23 | ||||
| Net Returns (Receipts - Costs) | $1506.77 | ||||
| Annual Net Returns for Different Prices and Production | |||||
| Prices Received Per Pound | |||||
| Pounds Produced |
.50 | .75 | 1.00 | 1.25 | 1.50 |
| 2000 | -655.23 | -155.23 | 344.77 | 844.77 | 1344.77 |
| 2250 | -530.23 | 32.27 | 594.77 | 1157.27 | 1719.77 |
| 2500 | -405.23 | 219.77 | 844.77 | 1469.77 | 2094.77 |
| 2750 | -280.23 | 407.27 | 1094.77 | 1782.27 | 2469.77 |
| 3000 | -155.23 | 594.77 | 1344.77 | 2094.77 | 2844.77 |
| 3250 | -30.23 | 782.27 | 1594.77 | 2407.27 | 3219.77 |
| 3500 | 94.77 | 969.77 | 1844.77 | 2719.77 | 3594.77 |
Footnotes:
Item
A. Use large transplants, i.e. 4-inch pots
B. Commercial rate for treated
water
C. Asona® for worms and Kelthane® for
mites
D. Six-foot wide mulch works
best on 40-inch wide beds
E. Primarily 34-0-0
F. Annual application improves tilth and supplies micro's
G. Use rear tine
tiller for quick results
H. See "Labor Allocation"
J. Steel structure with hoops spaced on
4-foot centers. Storm doors on both ends. Includes removable end-walls.
K.
Roll-up curtains made from 50% shade fabric. Needed in spring for wind abatement.
L.
For best results use Klerk's "Kool-Lite" brand 6-mil greenhouse
poly. Comes with 3-year warranty.
M. Beds constructed of 1- by 6-inch treated
lumber. Construct 40-inch wide beds on 5-foot centers.
N. The ideal soil type:
fine sandy loam
O. Price includes hard hose emitter
line and Dosmatic® fertilizer injector.
P.
Necessary for taking moisture readings under plastic mulch.
Q. Fifteen-inch
by 60-inch tall cages constructed of 6-inch concrete reinforcing mesh.
R. 4-foot
long pieces of 5/8-inch rebar or sucker rod.
S. For superior coverage,
use mist blower type sprayers.