The greenhouse production cycle : a labour and cost analysis

Abstract

The greenhouse is designed to create an environment in which temperature, moisture, and light can be controlled and balanced in order to produce favourable conditions for the growth of plants. The aim of this study was to determine whether it is profitable to cultivate greenhouse crops on a part-time basis. In this project a typical production cycle for tomato, green pepper, cucumber and melon was investigated in two greenhouses measuring 18m by 50m and 9m by 30m. 750 green pepper, 900 tomato, 400 cucumber and 950 melon plants were cultivated between September 2006 and July 2007. During this period, the number of hours spent daily in the greenhouse, the amounts of pesticides and fertilisers applied daily and the costs and income were recorded. The total income was subtracted from the total costs to find the net profit of the production cycle to decide whether part-time work in a greenhouse is profitable or not. From this study it was concluded that although the maintenance of a greenhouse requires both time and money, cultivating greenhouse crops on a part-time basis is a profitable activity.