Other Crops Growing Costs
This page is used to calculate the variable costs per hectare from growing crops other than cane on fallow blocks. Once you have entered information for one growing cost page, click the next tab to navigate to the next crop entry.
Note: Please see headings in the Cane Growing Costs section for step-by-step details on how to enter information for Land Preparation, Planting, Fertiliser, Weed/Insect/Disease Control and Irrigation. Step-by-step details for entering information for Machinery Operations are available in the Machinery Setup section.
In addition to the sections contained in Cane Growing Costs, there are 3 additional categories, Other Crop Costs, Harvesting Costs and Packing Costs.
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Other Crop Costs
Add drip irrigation and plastic mulch installation costs by clicking on the Drip Calculator. Note this only includes the product and labour application costs. Any associated machinery involvement needs to be captured by clicking on the Add Machinery Operation button in the same section.
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Ensure all fields are filled. If not required, enter zero (0). Note: Row width is imported from Scenario Assumptions. Spray path after how many beds is used where land is set aside within the crop for sprayers or harvesters to travel without driving over the crop (e.g. watermelons) and refers to the amount of planted beds between spray paths (e.g. 10). This would indicate that the one sprayer boom covers 5 beds across on the way down, and 5 on the way back the next spray path. Where there are access / spray paths, indicate the width of these unplanted areas in terms of the equivalent number of beds (e.g. 2). This will ensure the amount of dripline required per hectare is correct, If the crop is planted on continuous beds without any discrete spray paths, enter 0.
Dripline costs are measured per linear metre (e.g. $0.11/m). If it is priced in rolls, convert to a per metre basis. Dripline will vary in length according to type and wall thickness, but is usually between 800 and 2300m in length.
Where dripline, plastic mulch or layflat is reused on multiple plantings / crops, indicate how many crop cycles it will be used in the appropriate lifespan section. Often dripline and plastic mulch is used only once or twice, but layflat usually lasts for numerous crops.
The first section of the template is used to calculate the cost of the inputs per hectare per crop, while the second section captures the labour installation and removal costs.
Input total labour hours per operation (excluding the tractor driver hours, which will be captured in Add Machinery Operation). For example, if the tractor driver and 2 extra people take 3 hours to install one hectare of dripline, input 6 in the Labour Hours/ha column (2x4=8).
Harvesting Costs
- Add harvesting costs by clicking on the ‘Add Harvest Cost’ button.
- Enter a name or description. For example, soy harvest contractor A.
- Choose whether the operation is completed with "Own Tractor" or "Contractor".
Harvesting with own tractor
- Select or add a machinery item for the operation.
- Enter the number of operations.
- Enter any additional labour in hours per hectare (hrs/ha).
- Enter any additional casual labour cost in dollars per hour ($/hr).
Harvesting with contractor
- Enter the cost in dollars per unit ($/unit).
- Choose the cost rate units from the drop down box of either $/ha or $/yield unit. For example, the yield unit could be wet and dirty yield in tonnes or cartons.
- Enter any additional labour in hours per hectare (hrs/ha).
- Enter any additional casual labour cost in dollars per hour ($/hr).
Drying costs can also be added here with as the cost ($/ha), and cost rate units ($/yield unit) added in.
Desiccation Costs
Desiccation costs can be included in the weed control section. Please make sure you name it as “Desiccation costs” and/or add further details in the name.
Note: By placing desiccation in these sections please be aware that you may have machinery operations which are for the application of chemicals and machinery operations for desiccation.