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Other tender fruit - annual costs

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Nectarine

Annual estimated cost of production — 9.0 ton yield

Variable costs
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Labour: hand, 163 hrs	3,444
Labour: machine operator, 34 hrs	823
Fertilizer 27-0-0, 125 kg	154
Muriate of potash, 100 kg	101
Insecticides	284
Fungicides	194
Herbicides	146
Cover crop seed	24
Machine repair, maintenance	314
Fuel	779
Interest on operating capital	847
Production insurance	1,002
Consulting fees	100
Irrigation	367
Packing	3,240
Miscellaneous (leaf analysis)	5
Food safety	26
Land rental	No value
Total variable costs	11,851

Fixed costs
Fixed costs	Cost per acre ($)
Machine: depreciation	414
Machine: interest on investment	190
Cold storage	331
Other overhead	1,416
Land ownership	No value
Measurable fixed costs	2,352

Total measurable costs
Total measurable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Total measurable costs	14,203

Contribution margin (no land costs included)
Contribution margin (no land costs included)	Cost per acre ($)
Gross revenue (9.0 ton x $2537/ton)	22,833
Total variable costs	11,851
Contribution margin	10,982

Operation costs

Hand labour
Hand labour	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Pruning	45	911	No value	No value	911
Thinning	45	911	No value	No value	911
Harvest (picking)	70	1,561	No value	No value	1,561
Raking brush	3	61	No value	No value	61
Total hand labour	163	3,444	No value	No value	3,444

Machine labour and machine costs
Machine labour and machine costs	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Brush chopping	1.5	36	51	34	121
Discing (1x)	0.7	17	24	22	63
Cultivating (3x)	2.1	51	65	43	158
Fertilizing (2x)	1.4	34	43	34	111
Seeding cover crop (1x)	0.5	12	16	14	42
Mowing (6x)	4.2	102	156	118	375
Weed spraying (3x)	2.1	51	73	43	167
Pesticide spraying (8x)	3.2	77	138	119	334
Distribute & collect containers	12.0	290	294	138	722
Delivery	3.6	87	146	66	299
Subsoiling/aerating (1x)	0.7	17	22	14	52
Orchard maintenance	2.0	48	65	36	149
Total machine operator	34.0	823	1,093	678	2,594

Japanese Plum

Annual estimated cost of production — 7 ton yield

Variable costs
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Labour: hand, 210 hrs	4,492
Labour: machine operator, 30.2 hrs	731
Fertilizer 27-0-0, 125 kg	154
Muriate of potash, 100 kg	101
Insecticides	200
Fungicides	102
Herbicides	146
Cover crop seed	24
Machine repair, maintenance	272
Fuel	697
Interest on operating capital	841
Production insurance	1,240
Consulting fees	50
Irrigation	345
Packing	2,240
Miscellaneous (leaf analysis, 1 hive)	105
Food safety	26
Land rental	No value
Total variable costs	11,768

Fixed costs
Fixed costs	Cost per acre ($)
Machine: depreciation	358
Machine: interest on investment	165
Cold storage	331
Other overhead	1,416
Land ownership	No value
Measurable fixed costs	2,269

Total measurable costs
Total measurable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Total measurable costs	14,037

Contribution margin (no land costs included)
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Gross revenue (7 ton x $3297 per ton)	23,079
Total variable costs	11,768
Contribution margin	11,311

Operation costs

Hand labour
Hand labour	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Pruning	60	1,215	No value	No value	1,215
Thinning	30	608	No value	No value	608
Harvest (picking)	117	2,609	No value	No value	2,609
Raking brush	3	61	No value	No value	61
Total hand labour	210	4,492	No value	No value	4,492

Machine labour and machine costs
Machine labour and machine costs	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Brush chopping	1.7	41	58	38	137
Discing (1x)	0.7	17	24	22	63
Cultivating (2x)	1.4	34	43	28	106
Fertilizing (2x)	1.4	34	43	34	111
Seeding cover crop (1x)	0.5	12	16	14	42
Mowing (4x)	2.8	68	104	78	250
Weed spraying (3x)	2.1	51	73	43	167
Pesticide spraying (6x)	2.4	58	104	89	251
Distribute & collect containers	11.7	283	294	138	715
Delivery	3.5	85	146	66	296
Subsoiling/aerating (1x)	0.0	0	0	0	0
Orchard maintenance	2.0	48	65	36	149
Total machine operator	30.2	731	970	586	2,287

European Plum

Annual estimated cost of production — 7 ton yield

Variable costs
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Labour: hand, 156 hrs	3,350
Labour: machine operator, 31.7 hrs	767
Fertilizer 27-0-0, 125 kg	154
Muriate of potash, 100 kg	101
Insecticides	263
Fungicides	134
Herbicides	146
Cover crop seed	24
Machine repair, maintenance	296
Fuel	736
Interest on operating capital	765
Production insurance	1,204
Consulting fees	50
Irrigation	345
Packing	2,240
Miscellaneous (leaf analysis, 1 hive)	105
Food safety	26
Land rental	No value
Total variable costs	10,707

Fixed costs
Fixed costs	Cost per acre ($)
Machine: depreciation	389
Machine: interest on investment	178
Cold storage	331
Other overhead	1,416
Land ownership	No value
Measurable fixed costs	2,314

Total measurable costs
Total measurable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Total measurable costs	13,020

Contribution margin (no land costs included)
Contribution margin (no land costs included)	Cost per acre ($)
Gross revenue (7 ton x $3075 per ton)	21,525
Total variable costs	10,707
Contribution margin	10,818

Operation costs

Hand labour
Hand labour	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Pruning	48	972	No value	No value	972
Thinning	12	243	No value	No value	243
Harvest (picking)	93	2,074	No value	No value	2,074
Raking brush	3	61	No value	No value	61
Total hand labour	156	3,350	No value	No value	3,350

Machine labour and machine costs
Machine labour and machine costs	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Brush chopping	1.5	36	51	34	121
Discing (1x)	0.7	17	24	22	63
Cultivating (2x)	1.4	34	43	28	106
Fertilizing (2x)	1.4	34	43	34	111
Seeding cover crop (1x)	0.5	12	16	14	42
Mowing (6x)	4.2	102	156	118	375
Weed spraying (3x)	2.1	51	73	43	167
Pesticide spraying (7x)	2.8	68	121	104	293
Distribute & collect containers	11.6	281	294	138	713
Delivery	3.5	85	146	66	296
Subsoiling/aerating (1x)	0.0	0	0	0	0
Orchard maintenance	2.0	48	65	36	149
Total machine operator	31.7	767	1,032	636	2,435

Apricot

Annual estimated cost of production — 6 ton yield

Variable costs
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Labour: hand, 141 hrs	2,999
Labour: machine operator, 27.8 hrs	673
Fertilizer 27-0-0, 125 kg	154
Muriate of potash, 100 kg	101
Insecticides	200
Fungicides	102
Herbicides	146
Cover crop seed	24
Machine repair, maintenance	270
Fuel	693
Interest on operating capital	594
Consulting fees	50
Irrigation	345
Packing	1,920
Miscellaneous (leaf analysis)	5
Food safety	26
Land rental	No value
Total variable costs	8,302

Fixed costs
Fixed costs	Cost per acre ($)
Machine: depreciation	355
Machine: interest on investment	163
Cold storage	331
Other overhead	1,416
Land ownership	No value
Measurable fixed costs	2,265

Total measurable costs
Total measurable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Total measurable costs	10,567

Contribution margin (no land costs included)
Contribution margin (no land costs included)	Cost per acre ($)
Gross revenue (6 ton x $5447 per ton)	32,682
Total variable costs	8,302
Contribution margin	24,380

Operation costs

Hand labour
Hand labour	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Pruning	48	972	No value	No value	972
Thinning	20	405	No value	No value	405
Harvest (picking)	70	1,561	No value	No value	1,561
Raking brush	3	61	No value	No value	61
Total hand labour	141	2,999	No value	No value	2,999

Machine labour and machine costs
Machine labour and machine costs	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Brush chopping	1.5	36	51	34	121
Discing (1x)	0.7	17	24	22	63
Cultivating (2x)	1.4	34	43	28	106
Fertilizing (2x)	1.4	34	43	34	111
Seeding cover crop (1x)	0.5	12	16	14	42
Mowing (4x)	2.8	68	104	78	250
Weed spraying (3x)	2.1	51	73	43	167
Pesticide spraying (6x)	2.4	58	104	89	251
Distribute & collect containers	10.0	242	294	138	674
Delivery	3.0	73	146	66	284
Subsoiling/aerating (0x)	0.0	0	0	0	0
Orchard maintenance	2.0	48	65	36	149
Total machine operator	27.8	673	963	582	2,218

Standard Pear

Annual estimated cost of production — 8 ton yield

Variable costs
Variable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Labour: hand, 133 hrs	2,806
Labour: machine operator, 19.8 hrs	479
Fertilizer 27-0-0, 125 kg	154
Muriate of potash, 100 kg	101
Insecticides	533
Fungicides	339
Herbicides	146
Cover crop seed	0
Machine repair, maintenance	245
Fuel	520
Interest on operating capital	673
Production insurance	684
Consulting fees	100
Irrigation	345
Packing	2080
Miscellaneous (leaf analysis, 2 hives)	205
Food safety	26
Land rental	No value
Total variable costs	9,435

Fixed costs
Fixed costs	Cost per acre ($)
Machine: depreciation	307
Machine: interest on investment	143
Cold storage	331
Other overhead	1,416
Land ownership	No value
Measurable fixed costs	2,197

Total measurable costs
Total measurable costs	Cost per acre ($)
Total measurable costs	11,632

Contributon margin (no land costs included)
Contributon margin (no land costs included)	Cost per acre ($)
Gross revenue (8 ton x $1821 per ton)	14,568
Total variable costs	9,435
Contribution margin	5,133

Operation costs

Hand labour
Hand labour	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Pruning	50	1,013	No value	No value	1,013
Thinning	25	506	No value	No value	506
Harvest (picking)	55	1,227	No value	No value	1,227
Raking brush	3	61	No value	No value	61
Total hand labour	133	2,806	No value	No value	2,806

Machine labour and machine costs
Machine labour and machine costs	Labour (hours)	Labour ($)	Machine^{footnote 1[1]} ($)	Fixed ($)	Total ($)
Brush chopping	1.5	36	51	34	121
Fertilizing (2x)	1.4	34	43	34	111
Mowing (6x)	4.2	102	156	118	375
Weed spraying (3x)	2.1	51	73	43	167
Pesticide spraying (9x)	3.6	87	173	148	408
Distribute bins	2.0	48	59	28	135
Delivery	3.0	73	146	66	284
Orchard maintenance	2.0	48	65	36	149
Total machine operator	19.8	479	765	506	1,750

Footnotes

footnote[1] Back to paragraph Includes maintenance, fuel and repair.

Updated: May 24, 2024

Published: May 23, 2024