Profitability of Melon

(Pr Ahmed Skiredj)

The late yellow melon of Meknes :

This crop was followed in an exploitation of 30 ha located in the area of Meknes , douar Hnichat. Sowing (Dounia variety) took place in seedbed mi- April; the plantation in mi- May and production in August. The output obtained was 40 T/ha and the production was sold in the farm with 80.000 DH/ha. The purchaser ensured the harvest and the carriage of his goods.

The farming loads are as follows:

+ Rent of the ground: 2000 DH/ha (60000 DH/30 ha of the exploitation/year). All the rent is counted on the melon which is the principal crop. Between September and April, the piece is area occupied by another crop (potato, pea, snap bean).

+ permanent Labor: a manager and a guard: 2500 DH/month X 12 months = 30000 DH/30 ha/year (all is entered on the principal crop which is the melon), that is to say 1000 DH/ha/season.

+ Equipment machinery: the owner created an ancillary activity in his exploitation, namely the hiring of his agricultural machinery for work of his own ground; taking everything into account and with the help of a benefit which encourages it to use its own material, the tariff applied of the agricultural work is as follows: plough with 3 discs (800 DH/ha); cross cover crop with 2 passages (400 DH/ha); hoeing weeding for 2 passages (600 DH/ha); plant health treatments (300 DH/passage). The whole of the work of ground and maintenance of the crop amounts to 2700 DH/ha (with a plough, 2 cover crops, 2 hoeing and 3 treatments plant health).

+ Water equipment: (120.000), installation (60.000), valves, pressure gauges, venturi, filters, hydrocyclones, doors slopes (70.000), slopes (2 m of spacing, are 5000 meters linear per ha X 30 ha X 0,6 DH/ml of T types = 90.000 DH), engine and pump (80.000 DH). The total cost of the material and installation of the whole of the 30 ha is thus of 420.000 DH, that is to say 14.000 DH/ha; this cost can be amortized over 2 years, that is to say 7000 DH/ha/an.

+ Equipment tunnels: brace (galvanized iron number 8) 1200 kg/ha X 8 DH/kg = 9600 DH/ha { X 30 ha = 288.000 DH/30 Ha }. Plastic of cover 180 microns: 600 kg/ha X 19 DH/kg = 11.400 DH/ha/2 years, is 5700 DH/ha/an (11400 x 30 = 342.000 DH/30 ha).

+ Inputs: labor (240 work-day (wd)/ha X 40 DH/wd = 9600 DH/ha); seeds (0,8 DH/seed X 7000 seeds/ha = 5600 DH/ha); black plastic mulching used during only one year (300 kg/ha X 15 DH/kg X 0,5 since one divides the rollers of 1,4 m into 2 over their width to give some 70 cm broad bands, is 2250 DH/ha). dig peat (30 bags X 60 DH/bag = 1800 DH/ha); alveoli plates (100 peaces X 7 DH = 700 DH/2 years, is 350 DH/ha); energy for irrigation (3000 m3 X O,4 DH = 1200 DH/ha); manure (5000 DH/ha); pesticides for plant health (7000 DH/ha); unforeseen (200): total: 33.000 DH/ha/season .

+ the whole of the expenses rises with: 61.000 DH/ha/season (and 1.923.000 DH/30 ha the first year).

+ average Profit margin: (80.000 - 61.000) = 19.000 H/ha/season.

+ Rate of profitability = 19.000/61.000 = 31 %.

+ total Income by the exploitation = 19.000 X 30 = 570.000 DH/season.

+ total Rate of profitability = 570.000/1.923.000 = 29,6 %.