Inputs Intensity, Costs Variation and Economics Results in Protected Horticulture: the Case of Tomato Greenhouses in the Almerian Coastline, Spain

This paper deals with the variability of the total and main inputs cost intensity ((sic)/m(2)) in the Almerian (south-eastern Spain) tomato greenhouse industry and its influence on the system results. A lot of scientific work has been done in the last three decades dealing with both technical and economical issues of Almerian greenhouses functioning and management. Nevertheless studies related with inputs use, costs heterogeneity and economical results variability, based on data from a sample of farms are very scarce. From a survey and an accounting follow-up, made during the 2005-2006 campaign, to 25 tomato greenhouses in the area of Nijar, an analysis of inputs use and cost variability has been performed. This analysis also considered the variable cost share for each of the main non fixed production inputs, namely: labour, fertilisers, pesticides, plantlets, water and others, including energy. Some relationship between variable costs intensity ((sic)/m(2)) and yields, revenues or gross margins have also been analysed. From these results, some conclusions have been drawn, among them the existence of an economical inefficiency in the use of both fertilisers and water.