Table 13. PEPPERS: Costs and returns per acre in the Immokalee-Lee area,
 5-season average 1977-81 and 1981-82

 1977-81 1981-82 Season
 average per

Category Acre Acre Bushel

Yield (bushels) 597 372

Total receipts........................... $3818.06 $2808.60 $7.550
Operating costs
 Seed................ ................... 57.80 103.12
 Fertilizer ..... ..... .................. 277.91 316.72
 Spray and dust......................... 304.26 317.82
 Cultural labor......................... 474.91 431.52
 Machine hire............................. 47.41 53.21
 Gas, oil, grease...... ................ 118.38 165.81
 Repair and maintenance................. 191.58 205.40
 Interest on production
 capital (17% 5 months)............. 82.46 147.19
 Miscellaneous expense.................. 286.11 292.47
Total operating costs.................... 1840.82 2033.26 5.466
Fixed costs
 Land rent.............................. 64.82 75.57
 Depreciation......................... 81.77 96.87
 Licenses and insurance................ 96.54 116.38
 Interest on investment................. 13.80 13.72
Total fixed costs........................ 256.93 302.54 0.813
Harvesting and marketing costs
 Picking ............................... 450.58 369.62 0.994
 Grading and packing.................... 554.39 418.46 1.125
 Containers............................. 323.65 267.84 0.720
 Hauling............................... 135.63 101.01 0.272
 Selling................................. 126.24 111.60 0.300
Total harvesting and marketing costs..... 1590.49 1268.53 3.410
Total costs.............................. 3688.24 3604.33 9.689
Net return............................... 129.82 -795.73 -2.139