Tutkimus puutarhaviljelyn tuotosta ja kustannuksesta Malminkartanon opetus- ja koetilalla

Authors

• N. Westermarck Helsingin yliopiston Malminkartanon opetus- ja koetila, Rukkila, Helsinki
• Kaja Lindvall Helsingin yliopiston Malminkartanon opetus- ja koetila, Rukkila, Helsinki

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71384

Abstract

In this study the aim has been to survey the return and costs of horticulture on a given farm, in this case the Malmi Estate, the Instructional and Experimental Farm of Helsinki University. The three points on which especial attention has been focussed in the research are as follows: 1) the structure and amount of the return and costs of different branches of production and of crop groups, 2) the use of the means of production measured as physical quantities, 3) the division of the return and cost items between various crop groups and branches of production. The study includes the financial years 1950/ 1951 and 1951/1952 from April 1st, 1950, to March 31st, 1952. The garden concerned can be described as a commercial garden and in this respect it can be compared with other commercial gardens of diversified production. The only essential difference from private horticultural undertakings is that the Malmi Estate, as a state-owned farm, is exempt from taxes. The amount and structure of the return is given in table 1. The figures show that in some cases there are considerable changes in the returns of the various crop groups in different years. This fact is especially valid as regards the intercrops, which represent typical mixed crops. The receipts make the overwhelmingly biggest part of the return in all crop groups. The »interior transfers» (the materials furnished by one branch of production to another) have been of some importance and even of paramount importance in the growing of ornamental plants and of vegetables in hotbeds. The indirect return has been practically of no consequence. Tables 2, 3 and 4 and figures I—7 show the results concerning the amount and structure of the costs. It is striking how closely the return level is followed by the cost level in the various crop groups. The costs are overwhelmingly highest in the production of ornamental plants. This proves true in growing crops both outdoors and under glass. The figures show' very clearly how different the various crop groups are as regards the use of labour and capital. Vegetables and ornamental plants in hotbeds, small fruits and outdoor vegetables are typically the heaviest labour-consuming plants. The glasshouses involve high capital investment, as is demonstrated by the amount of the capital costs and the cost of material. Tables 2 and 3, and the summary in table 5 indicate the importance of the direct and indirect costs in the various crop groups. The direct costs represent a relatively small part of the total costs in growing crops in hotbeds; this fact denotes that this branch of production is connected with the whole horticultural enterprise rather closely. The direct costs are relatively highest when crops are grown outdoors. Table 6 shows that the direct costs are less than two thirds of the cost of material; they constitute a still greater proportion of the capital and labour costs, but only a fourth of the tractor and horse work costs. The payments for water, electricity, telephone and cables, and postage (service) and the management costs of the enterprise, belong entirely to the direct costs. Broadly speaking 60 per cent of the total costs of the Malmi Estate Garden have been direct costs and 40 per cent indirect costs. As regards the various crop groups, it has been possible to work out with some certainty only the labour (time) requirement and the application of the plant nutrients in commercial fertilizers. In table 7 information on the direct labour (time) requirement and in table 8 on the indirect labour (time) requirement of various jobs are given. In order to get a more illustrative general picture, the various jobs have been grouped as follows 1) spring farming operations, 2) management of crops, 3) harvesting and 4) other work.1 The average apple yield has been 32.5 kg per are, the yield in this case consisting only of marketable fruit. Thus the labour (time) requirement has been 33.8 hours per 100 kg. The average yield of small fruits has been 44.1 kg per are and the labour (time) requirement 70.5 hours per 100 kg. The small fruits have consisted almost entirely of currants and gooseberries. As table 10 shows, the application of commercial fertilizers has been heaviest in glasshouses and for the vegetables in hotbeds.