Comparison of 1962-63 Costs with Previous Seasons

 Total picking and hauling costs for 1962-63 increased substantially

 over the preceding season (Table 5 and Figure 1). Total picking costs for

 oranges and tangerines averaged 17 percent higher than for 1961-62, grapefruit

 picking was 10 percent higher and hauling costs increased by 24 percent. Total

 harvesting and hauling (1 haul) increased over the preceding season by approx-

 imately 14 percent for grapefruit and 18 percent for oranges and tangerines.

 The principal reason for the per box costs increases in 1962-63 was

 the disastrous freeze in December 1962 which drastically reduced the volume

 of fruit to be handled, affected the seasonality of operators, and caused

 difficult operating conditions. The itemized costs of the harvesting operation

 showed increases in every category of expense.

 Since the freeze did not affect the whole citrus belt with equal

severity, there are much wider-than-normal ranges in costs among individual

firms. Some operators were little affected by volume changes while others

with severely curtailed operations found some per-unit expenses pushed up to

unusual highs.

 Some of the season to season variation in cost for each service is

due to the firms included. They have not remained identical each year, and

as previously pointed out, costs vary widely among firms.

 Percentage changes in picking and hauling costs for 1962-63 compared

with 5 and 10 year earlier periods are shown in Table 6.