The cost of growing zucchini in greenhouses in the provinces of Almeria and Granada has increased significantly in the last four seasons. According to a report prepared by Hortoinfo, based on data from the Junta de Andalucía, the cost of producing a hectare of zucchini in autumn increased by 21.46% going from 27,295 euros in the 2019/2020 campaign to 33,153 euros in the 2022/2023 campaign. The cost of the spring crop increased by 20.95%, going from 41,229 euros per hectare to 49,865 euros.
The analysis highlights that the largest increase was observed in the costs of fertilizers and compost, which increased by 111.83%, going from 1,564 euros per hectare to 3,313 euros. Fuel costs increased by 79.28%, which amounts to an additional 417 euros per hectare. Labor, another important component of the total production cost, increased by 9.67%, i.e. 1,418 euros per hectare more for the autumn crop.
The cost of seeds, phytosanitary products, and auxiliary insects to combat pests increased by 8.9%, 28.82%, and 15.99%, respectively. The cost of water rose by 43.49%. Depreciation, electricity, general, and financial expenses also increased significantly.
The spring crop's production cost increase was led by the rise in fertilizers and compost prices, followed by fuel and labor increases, which experienced a similar growth to that of the autumn crop. Expenditure on seeds, phytosanitary products, and pest control through auxiliary insects continued to increase. The report highlights that these production costs include family labor and depreciation of infrastructure and machinery.
It also highlights the variability of production costs due to different factors, such as the date of transplantation, the cycle duration, the size and location of the farm, and phytosanitary incidents. The data presented reflect averages of representative farms and should be considered an approximation.
Source: hortoinfo.es