UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
SAMPLE COSTS TO PRODUCE STRAWBERRIES
South Coast Region – Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties 2011
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................2
ASSUMPTIONS....................................................................................................................................................3
Production Operating Costs.................................................................................................................................3
Labor, Equipment and Operating Interest............................................................................................................6
Cash Overhead.....................................................................................................................................................6
Non-Cash Overhead.............................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................................9
Table 1. Cost Per Acre to Produce Strawberries.................................................................................................10
Table 2. Costs and Returns per Acre to Produce Strawberries...........................................................................12
Table 3. Monthly Cash Costs Per Acre to Produce Strawberries.......................................................................14
Table 4. Ranging Analysis..................................................................................................................................16
Table 5. Whole Farm Annual Equipment, Investment, and Business Overhead Costs......................................17
Table 6. Hourly Equipment Costs.......................................................................................................................18
Table 7. Operations with equipment...................................................................................................................19
Acknowledgements. Thank you to the California Strawberry Commission growers and staff, pest
control advisers, industry representatives, researchers, and various suppliers who provided cultural and cost
information.
INTRODUCTION
The sample costs to produce strawberries in the South Coast Region – Santa Barbara and San Luis
Obispo Counties are presented in this study. The study is intended as a guide only, and can be used to make
production decisions, determine potential returns, prepare budgets and evaluate production loans. The practices
described are based on production procedures considered typical for this crop and area, and will not apply to
every situation. Sample costs for labor, materials, equipment and custom services are based on current figures.
A blank column, “Your Costs”, is provided to enter your actual costs on Tables 1 and 2.
The hypothetical farm operation, production practices, overhead, and calculations are described under
assumptions. For additional information or explanation of calculations used in the study, call the Department of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, (530) 752-3589 or the UC Cooperative
Extension office in your county.
Current and archived “Sample Cost of Production” studies for many commodities can be downloaded at
http://coststudies.ucdavis.edu, requested through the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC
Davis, (530) 752-4424 or obtained from the local county UC Cooperative Extension office.