Greenhouses in the province of Almeria, Spain, generate around 70,000 Euro per hectare per year. Given that the average acreage of existing intensive farms in the province is one hectare and a half, each producer would be making an annual income of over 100,000 Euro.
The data are derived from the latest balance of horticultural campaigns and studies on revenue and model costs, as well as reports elaborated by the Research Department of Cajamar on crop profitability.
Overall, the data indicate that the income per hectare achieved over the last two years stands above 70,000 Euro, with a ratio of 9.01 Euro per square metre.
An estimated 4.12 Euro per square metre per year should be deducted in terms of costs, which yields a final margin of 2.89 Euro per square metre in a single campaign.
Total income
These nearly 30,000 Euro per hectare would entail a total income of 45,000 Euro per year for each greenhouse grower or owner considering the average size of farms in Almeria. It is not, in any case, a fixed amount for all horticultural producers, as this also depends on the location and the products grown.
The most profitable
The greenhouses located in Bajo Andarax, where mostly tomatoes are grown, are amongst the most profitable, with 33,000 Euro generated per year. Cajamar's report highlighted that the gross operating profit per campaign would rise to about 40,000 Euro per hectare.
The improvement in productivity has allowed growers this year to maintain the profitability of their farms, despite their greater effort both in terms of labour and higher operating costs, which is also the result of the weather, as high temperatures were registered during last autumn's campaign which led to greater expenditure on irrigation and prevention systems.
One of the essential characteristics of this latest campaign was the significant increase in production volumes, of around three percent, which made it possible to offset the 2.6% drop in average prices reported by Asaja.
The profitability and, above all, the stability of Almeria's horticultural sector have gained the trust of investors, allowing an increase in the province's acreage for intensive cultivation.
Source: lavozdealmeria.es