Profitability in raspberry growing under the conditions of fertirrigation

Abstract

The Arilje raspberry growing area (1,600 ha), by 'raspberry culture', uniform assortment, maximal yields (up to 32 t/ha), fruit quality, innovations in technology and market production (16,000 f/year), belongs to leading raspberry growing regions both at home and abroad. This fact and the sale of frozen fruits on the world market require continuous improvement of its growing technology. Irrigation, considering the consequences of drought manifested as decreased yields years on end (average 10.06 t/ha) and expectation of climatic excesses caused by the 'glasshouse effects', is of strategic importance, not only for the Arilje raspberry growing region, but for the whole country. The aim is to provide high, stable economically justified yields and an increase in balance of payments in the country However, since in the agricultural production irrigation predominates by the amount of investment needed (4-12,000 USD/ha), it is disputable whether raspberry culture is profitable under the conditions of irrigation. To solve this problem in the Arilje raspberry growing region, this paper analyzed profitability of establishing raspberry plantings in the conditions of fertirrigation on the 'Gruda' estate 13.5 ha) based on long-term observations of raspberry yields under natural water regime and fertirrigation conditions. The analysis involved the relations: investment in establishing plantings and the construction of a system for fertirrigation (fertilization through irrigation water) -costs of primary production under fertirrigation - costs of secondary production -yields profit realized. It has been shown that, by setting up plantings construction of irrigation system and raspberry growing under fertirrigation it is possible to achieve regular yields of at least 20 t/ha and gain profit of 14,706 DM/ha (30.73%) in the first few years, i.e., after paying off the annuity of investment loans, after sixth year, 21,078 DM (44.05%) per unit area. Thus, irrigation, the application of which is 'induced by drought' owing to high profitability and revolution that the use of plastic brought into the technology of irrigation, has a tendency for expansion on inclined terrains, on which 82% of raspberry plantings in our country is located Therefore, considering the need for investment in the construction of microaccumulation and mechanical water rising, somewhat lower profit can be expected on such terrains.

U ariljskom malinogorju, na imanju ekonomije "Gruda" (13,5 ha), na bazi dugogodišnjih osmatranja visine prinosa maline u uslovima prirodnog vodnog režima zemljišta i iskustva o uzgoju maline u irigacionim uslovima analizirana je profitabilnost podizanja zasada i gajenja maline u uslovima fertirigacije. Analizom je obuhvaćena relacija: investiciona ulaganja u podizanje zasada i izgradnju sistema za navodnjavanje, troškovi primarne proizvodnje u uslovima fertirigacije, troškovi sekundarne proizvodnje tržišna vrednost prinosa, ostvareni profit. Pokazalo se daje uzgojem maline u uslovima fertirigacije, moguće ostvariti profit u prvih šest godina od 30,73%, odnosno posle šeste godine 44,05% od tržišne vrednosti prinosa maline po jedinici površine.