BY D.W. PARVIN, F.T. COOKE,
AND DUDLEY STEPHENS
Introduction: Additional width can be achieved by adding
rows (8 to 12 in this example) and/or by changing planting pattern (solid
to full skip in this example). Table 1 indicates how width is increased
when picker size is changed from 4-row to 6-row and from 6-row solid to
6-row full skip. Similar information is provided for selected planters
and cultivators.
The additional width improves equipment efficiency (hours per
acre) reducing direct cost per acre. And, just as importantly, increases
acres per year, thereby reducing fixed cost per acre. Moving from
the narrowest to the widest systems in Table 1 increases acres per hour
by more than 230 percent in each of the three examples.
Procedure: Per acre budgets were constructed for each
of the three systems of production. “Trips-over-the-field” and type of
material applied were constant for each of the systems.
Differences in cost were due to equipment width, linear feet
of row per acre, and yield, except in the skip-row system, where ground
equipment was substituted for insecticide and defoliation aerial applications.
Yield does not influence harvest cost per acre but does affect ginning
and hauling charges per acre and to a lesser degree the amount of nitrogen
required.
Mississippi Results: Table 2 compares three production
systems: 8-row 38-inch solid, 12-row 38-inch solid, and 12-row 38-inch
(2x1) full skip. The estimates in Table 2 are based on the authors’
current (1-15-00) research and could change slightly as additional research
is conducted.
The first three cost items do not vary by systems. The
next four items vary as a function of equipment size and planting pattern.
Changes in the last cost items labeled “gin” through “seed”
are related to the skip-row pattern. Custom spray denotes aerial
application costs. The solid systems have five insecticides and 1.5
defoliation aerial applications. The skip-row system substitutes
6.5 ground applications. This change reduced net application cost
by $6.91 per acre for the skip-row system but allowed major savings in
the material costs.
Total direct expenses are $477.39 per acre for the 8-row 38”
system. Shifting to the 12-row 38” reduces direct expenses by $28.66
or 6 percent per acre. However, a shift to 8-row 38” (2x1) reduces
direct expenses by $121.84 or more than 25 percent per acre. Fixed
expenses and total specified expenses indicate similar reductions.
Some ($8.50) of the reduction in direct expenses is related
to ginning and hauling charges per pound and the reduced yield associated
with the skip-row system (approximately 10 percent).
Income per acre for the skip-row system is reduced by $58.43
per acre. However, net returns above specified expenses are $107.78
for the skip-row system or $61.27 per acre greater than the 12-row solid
system and $113.99 greater than 8-row solid.
Tennessee Results: Table 3 reports condensed information
similar to Table 2 for West Tennessee. These numbers reflect the
experience of one grower in 1999 (but with estimated costs for the year
2000). His standard system (8-row - 38”) is similar in cost to the
Mississippi system even though his management strategy for weed control
was dramatically different and insect pressure in West Tennessee is substantially
less than the Mississippi Delta. He shifted to 12-R 30” (2x1) on
a significant portion of his acreage (450 acres) and did not experience
a yield decline. In addition, all his sprays (both systems) were
applied with ground equipment. These changes substantially reduced
direct and fixed expenses and improved his net returns by $128.66 per acre
from $18.05 to $146.71 or 713 percent per acre.
Conclusions: Wider is better if yield can be maintained
or the value of the yield reduction (which may or may not occur depending
upon soil type) is less than the reduction in cost of production (which
will occur).
Readers interested in copies of the detailed budget tables associated
with each of the five systems (including a description of each trip over
the field and the type and amount of materials applied) can contact the
authors (662-686-3307 or 662-325-2044).
(D.W. Parvin is and Economist and Professor at MAFES/MSU;
F.T. Cooke, Jr. is an Economist at
DREC/MAFES/MSU; and Dudley Stephens is a Cotton Specialist
at MSUES.)