Table 1 Partial budget analysis to determine the economic impact of conversion from the CONV (76 cm wide, 20 cm tall) beds treated with the conventional FUM (60% chloropicrin + 40% 1,3-dichloroproene) to the alternative treatments

From: Resource-efficient compact bed plasticulture reduces production risks and sustainably intensifies agriculture

Season

Item

Treatments

CONV-FUM

CONV-ALT

COMP1-FUM

COMP1-ALT

COMP2-FUM

COMP2-ALT

Season 1

Total Marketable Yield [kg/ha]

42,798

42,798

41,187

41,187

44,331

44,331

Revenue [$/ha]

31,376

31,376

30,104

30,104

32,586

32,586

Costs that Varied [$/ha]

2343

2666

2064

2298

1806

1938

Plastic Mulch

890

890

851

851

812

812

Pesticide

1354

1677

1118

1352

904

1036

Dumpster Contract

99

99

95

95

90

90

Harvesting Costs [$/ha]

13,534

13,534

13,030

13,030

14,014

14,014

Net Benefit [$/ha]

15,499

15,176

15,011

14,777

16,765

16,633

Difference from CONV [$/ha]

-

−324

−488

−722

1266

1134

Season 2

Total Marketable Yield [kg/ha]

CONV-FUM

CONV-ALT

CONV-NOFUM

COMP2-FUM

COMP2-ALT

COMP2-NOFUM

28,241

31,538

28,241

28,241

31,538

28,241

Revenue [$/ha]

30,710

35,809

30,710

30,710

35,809

30,710

Costs that Varied [$/ha]

2343

2666

2249

1842

1938

1658

Plastic Mulch

890

890

890

812

812

812

Pesticide

1354

1677

1260

904

1036

756

Dumpster Contract

99

99

99

90

90

90

Harvesting Costs [$/ha]

8982

10,050

8982

10,050

8982

8982

Net Benefit [$/ha]

19,069

22,777

19,163

19,632

23,532

19,780

Difference from CONV [$/ha]

-

3708

93

563

4462

711

  1. Revenue was calculated from the farm gate price multiplied by the amount of fruit produced from each treatment. The COMP2 (46 cm wide, 30 cm tall) beds treated with the ALT (100% chloropicrin and fluensulfone) pre-plant pesticide regimes returned the highest revenue during both seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018). The costs that varied among the treatments included plastic mulch, pre-plant pesticides, dumpster contract, and harvest costs. The reduction in bed size for the compact beds (COMP1: 61 cm wide, 25 cm tall; COMP2: 46 cm wide, 30 cm tall) reduced the costs of inputs into the treatments. The pre-plant pesticide regime without a fumigant (NOFUM - fluensulfone and propamocarb) was the least expensive regime.
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