Table 20. SQUASH: Costs and returns per acre in the Palm Beach-Broward area,
 5-season average 1977-81 and 1981-82

 1977-81 1981-82 Season
 average per

Category Acre Acre Bushel

Yield (bushels) 121 168

Total receipts........................... $1128.23 $1627.92 $9.690
Operating costs
 Seed......... ...... ...... ............. 18.21 20.03
 Fertilizer...... ....................... 63.00 77.19
 Spray and dust......................... 74.33 85.09
 Cultural labor......................... 99.23 154.22
 Machine hire........................... 12.31 16.11
 Gas, oil, grease......*................ 28.01 33.88
 Repair and maintenance................. 37.44 79.72
 Interest on production
 capital (17% 4 months)............. 14.56 35.69
 Miscellaneous expense.................. 7.61 45.88
Total operating costs.................... 354.70 547.81 3.261
Fixed costs
 Land rent...o ........ ......*.......... 64.59 98.46
 Depreciation.......... ... ............ 24.02 23.38
 Licenses and insurance................. 20.08 19.16
 Interest on investment................. 3.88 3.31
Total fixed costs..........*............. 112.57 144.31 0.860
Harvesting and marketing costs
 Picking and packing.................... 202.45 253.17 1.507
 Containers............................. 118.25 120.96 0.720
 Hauling ................................ 25.93 38.98 0.232
 Selling............ .*....... ......... 36.34 42.10 0.251
Total harvesting and marketing costs..... 382.97 455.21 2.710
Total costs.............................. 850.24 1147.33 6.829
Net return............................... 277.99 480.59 2.861