46 



DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES 



TABLE 25 



SUMMARY OF PRE-HARVEST COSTS PER ACRE OF PRODUCING GRAPES, WITH 



DEPRECIATION ON VINES AND OTHER FIXED CHARGES ADDED AT THE 



RATE OF $15.14 PER ACRE- WHERE NOT ALREADY INCLUDED 



• The average shown by 101 agricultural extension service records as given in Table 19. 



The wide range in pre-harvest costs shown in Teble 25 might seem 

 to indicate that it is impossible to arrive at a figure representative of 

 the industry. However, as already pointed out. the figures given in 

 Table 25 and in the tables from which they are taken are not strictly 

 comparable. It is the conclusion that the report can most safely pro- 

 ceed on the basis of the 101 Agricultural Extension Service records, 

 the average of which has been shown to be $48.40 an acre for pre- 

 harvest costs, including fixed charges, but without allowance for interest 

 or irrigation water.* The range for these 101 records was from 

 $30.99 to $82.79 an acre. 



It is recognized that there is a certain weather risk in harvesting 

 grapes for which allowance needs to be made, but no data are available 

 for evaluating it. In view of this ri.sk a pre-harvest cost of $50 an 

 acre has been arbitrarily assumed. 



Income from Grapes and Amount Available for Irrigation Water Charges. 



It previously has been stated that grapes are harvested as table 

 grapes, raisins, and juice grapes, some varieties being sold under all 

 three of these classes. It does not seem necessary in the present study 

 to attempt to use more than one class in arriving at permissible irriga- 

 tion Avater charges. The class chosen is raisins, since the largest part 

 of the upper San Joaquin grape crop is disposed of ,in this form. 



Basing the study of permissible irrigation water charges for grapes 

 on raisins might be considered by some to be too conservative, since 

 table and juice grapes have generally been bringing higher returns. 

 However, the stabilization plans recently adopted for the entire grape 

 industry in California, and the tendency towards equalization in prices 

 for the varieties sold under all three classes, seem to warrant basing 

 the analysis on raisin grai)es only. Plate 111. taken from California 

 Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 429, t page 92, shows the 

 trend of purchasing power of the various classes over a ten-year period. 



After eonsidering the results ol" his studies extending over several 

 years, it is the judgment of the Farm Advisor of Tulare County that a 

 safe figure to use for harvesting a two-ton crop of raisins would be 

 $15 a ton and for a one-ton crop, $17 a ton. and he has suggested that 

 an average figure of $10 a ton be adopted. On the basis of this figure 

 and the assumed pre-harvest cost of $50 an acre jjreviously referred to, 



• The Acrrlrullur.ll Kxtonsion Sprvlcp .Tverape was $50.90, which included a 

 deprecl.Ttlon allowance on vinos of $10 an aero per annum, whereas the depreciation 

 allowance In this report Is $7.50 an acre per annum. 



t Shear. R.W . and OouM. H.F., Economic Status of the Grape Industry, California 

 Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 429, p. 92. 



