UGA Cooperative Extension is a collaboration between UGA CAES and UGA FACS.
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Financial and other institutions and stakeholders are interested in enterprise budgets to determine which vegetable crops to grow based on their financial lucrativeness. Some banks and lenders are also interested in these budgets prior to making loan decisions to growers. UGA agricultural and applied economists selected to study enterprise budgets for watermelon, eggplant, and fall and spring sweet corn. Prices of commercial vegetable production inputs fluctuate significantly. Retail and growers prices are also difficult to forecast. Pest, disease and other factors such as weather all have significant impact on prices. The UGA studies show that the total cost of producing watermelon was $5,840 while the total net return was $871. The total cost of producing eggplant was $10,634 with a net income of $1,366. On the other hand, the fall and spring total cost of producing spring sweet corn were $3,317 and $3, 525. The net returns were $1,183 (fall) and $1,275 (spring). There was no significant difference in the fall and spring total cost of production and net returns for sweet corn. With good prices and quality, the chances of favorable returns to the grower is positive. The three selected vegetables generated $185 million, equivalent to 24 percent of the total 2010 Georgia farm gate value.
