1

Economics of High Tunnel Vegetable & Strawberry

Production in the Central Midwest

Presented at the 2007 Indiana Horticultural Congress and Trade Show

Lewis W. Jett, Ph.DState Vegetable and Small Fruits SpecialistWest Virginia University2012 Agric. Sciences BuildingMorgantown, WV 26506304-293-6131 (office)

Atlas ® High Tunnel, Farmington, MO

PVC (Home-made) High Tunnel, Kansas City, MO

FarmTek ®High Tunnels, St. Louis, MO

Haygrove® Multi-bay High Tunnel, St. Louis, MO

Stuppy® Polar Cubs, Columbia, MO

Zimmerman High Tunnel, Dittmer, MO

Stuppy® Polar Cubs, Olathe, KS

Mobile PVC High Tunnel, Troy, MO

Costs of High Tunnels (frame only) Used by Growers in the Central Midwest:

Manufacturer Dimensions Cost ($/ft2)

Atlas Greenhouses 30 ft. x 96 ft. 0.74

Conley Greenhouse Mfg 24 ft. x 96 ft. 0.72

FarmTek 26 ft. x 96 ft. 1.16

Harnois Greenhouses 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.97

Haygrove Tunnels 24 ft. x 200 ft. 1.03

Stuppy Greenhouse 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.96

Zimmerman Welding 30 ft. x 96 ft. 1.00

Average 25 ft. x 96 ft.

(2400 ft2)

0.94 (1.44)

Costs of High Tunnels (frame only) Used by Growers in the Central Midwest:

Manufacturer Dimensions Cost ($/ft2)

Atlas Greenhouses 30 ft. x 96 ft. 0.74

FarmTek 26 ft. x 96 ft. 1.16

Haygrove Tunnels 24 ft. x 200 ft. 1.03

Stuppy Greenhouse 20 ft. x 96 ft. 0.96

Zimmerman Welding 30 ft. x 96 ft. 1.00

Average 25 ft. x 96 ft.

(2400 ft2)

0.94 (1.44)

2

Small high tunnels

Large high tunnels

Wide end walls for passive ventilation of the high tunnels:

Greenhouse Capital Requirements: ≈ $6.50 per square foot

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

No. res pondent s

Tom

atoes

Cucurbits

Peppers

Salad Greens

Spinach

Green B

eans

Beets

Brassicas

Carrots

Onions

Peas

Potatoes

Strawberries

Herbs

Cut Flow

ers

Crops being grown within high tunnels in the Central Great Plains:

Source: 2004-05 Central Great Plains High Tunnel Survey

High Tunnel TomatoesHigh Tunnel Cucumbers, Melons and Squash

3

High Tunnel Lettuce and Salad & Micro Greens

High Tunnel StrawberriesHigh Tunnel Small Fruit

High Tunnel Figs

High Tunnel Flowers

4

Leafy greens

MelonsSpri

ng/W

inte

rFa

llSu

mm

er

Tomatoes

Broccoli

Strawberries

Leafy greens

Tomatoes

Strawberries

Mixed Crops

Wholesale Cooperative Produce Auctions

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

May17

May24

May31

June7

June14

June21

June28

July4

July9

July12

July18

Date

Ave

rage

Pri

ce ($

/lb

Wholesale Price ($/lb)

Wholesale tomato prices: May-July (2004)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Retail Wholesale

Pric

e/lb

($)

5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

lbs

tom

atoe

s

Pounds 15

Yield/Plant Yield/High Tunnel

Yield/acre equiv

0500

100015002000250030003500400045005000

lbs

tom

atoe

s

Pounds 15 4680

Yield/Plant Yield/High Tunnel

Yield/acre equiv

High Tunnel Tomato Production Costs

Pre-harvest Costs:

Planting Temp. and Humidity Mgt.

Stakes, Twine or Cages

Material Costs per 1000 ft2

Stakes & Twine: $48.00

Labor: $50.00

Material Costs per 1000 ft2

Cages: $170.00-340.00

Labor: $20.00

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Ventilation (air movement) is important for tomato pollination.

5-8 ft. Sidewalls Roof Vents

Wide EndwallsSolar-powered Sidewall Vents

Pruning may be necessary to promote earliness and reduce biomass within the high tunnel.

Drip irrigation In-line fittings

Soluble fertilizer

7

Row or Crop Covers: 1.5 ¢ per ft2

Mulching for weed control:Intercropping can increase productivity per ft2.

8

Pest Management Costs

Insect screen

Beneficial Insects

Harvesting and Packaging

60 man hours per commercial high tunnel

Total Production Costs: $5.50/plant

9

010002000300040005000600070008000

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Price/lb. ($)

Net

Rev

enue

/100

0 ft2

($

8 lbs /plant 10 lbs/plant 12 lbs/plant

How profitable are high tunnel tomatoes?

010002000300040005000600070008000

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Price/lb. ($)

Net

Rev

enue

/100

0 ft2

($

8 lbs /plant 10 lbs/plant 12 lbs/plant

Break Even Price

How profitable are high tunnel tomatoes?

Leafy greens

MelonsSpri

ng/W

inte

rFa

llSu

mm

er

Tomatoes

Broccoli

Strawberries

Leafy greens

Tomatoes

Strawberries

Mixed Crops

VINE CROPS

10

High Tunnel Cucurbit Pre-harvest Costs Trellising:

Trellising Cucurbits:

Improves harvest efficiency.

Increases marketable yields.

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Mulch:

Pollination

Pest Management

12

-400-200

0200400600800

10001200140016001800

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5

Price/Melon. ($)

Net

Rev

enue

($) p

er 1

000

ft2

3 Melons/plant 4 Melons/plant 5 Melons/plant

How profitable are high tunnel cantaloupes?

Wholesale Retail

Wholesale Cantaloupe Prices (4 year avg.)

00.20.40.60.8

11.21.41.61.8

2

June 28 July15 August 15 Sept. 15

Pric

e/m

elon

($)

Source: Wholesale Cantaloupe (muskmelon) prices, Central Missouri Produce Auction, Latham, MO ( 2002-2005).

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020406080

100120140160180

No.

Dasher II

Indy

Socrates

Diva

Tim

or

Genuine

Tasty G

reen

Millago

Cam

aro

Tyria

Hazera 456

Cultivar

Boxes (45 ct) per High Tunnel

Fall High Tunnel Cucumber Yields-2005

Wholesale Cucumber prices (4 year avg.)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

June10 June 25 July 5 July 16 August 15 Sept. 15

Pric

e/bo

x ($

)

Prices at MO Wholesale Cooperative Produce Auctions

• http://agebb.missouri.edu/hort/auction/index.htm

High Tunnel Strawberries

Plant Costs

14

Packaging Costs Marketable Yields

-5000

50010001500200025003000350040004500

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Price/lb. ($)

Net

Rev

enue

($) p

er 1

000

ft2

0.75 lbs/plant 1.0 lbs/plant 1.2 lbs/plant

How profitable are high tunnel strawberries?

$1.28/lb break even price

$3.00/lb Avg. price from test mkts.

Thank you, and please visit the high tunnel web site: