UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BERKELEY 4, CALIFORNIA LABOR REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCING CERTAIN CALIFORNIA SUBTROPICAL FRUITS WALLACE SULLIVAN, 1 J. C. JOHNSTON, 2 and I. J. CONDIT 3 This leaflet presents an analysis of the man- hours of labor required in producing the more common California subtropical fruits. The re- and the pounds of product produced per man-hour, based on state average yields and what are con- sidered to be good commercial yields. TABLE 1 Man-Hours of Labor Require i per Acre for State Average Yi elds of C srtain California Subtropic al Fruits, 1938-1941* ( Lemons , Oranges, Grapefruit , Avo- Olives , Dates , Jigs, 240 packed 201 packed 142 packed cados , 2.06 1.55 tons drying boxes t boxes t boxest 1.06 tons (3,100 0.7 ton Operations (19,200 (15,075 (9,656 tons (4,120 pounds) (1,400 pounds) pounds) pounds) (2,120 pounds) pounds) pounds) Cultural labor: Pruning and brush disposal 31 13 8 5 12 18 8 Planting covercrops 1 1 1 Fertilization 2 2 1 2 2 1 Pest and disease control 9 9 5 3 1 Cultivation 6 6 6 2 5 12 3 Irrigation 20 20 16 20 10 26 2 Frost protection 15 8 • • . • • • • • • Pollination > . . • • • • • • 22 4 Thinning and tying . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ... Placing bags • • • • • . . • . • ■ . . . • 16 • • • Miscellaneous 6 6 3 2 3 8 2 Total cultivation 90 65 34 31 37 123 20 Harvest labor: Picking 170 80 35 20 100 94 12 Hauling 10 7 3 1 3 4 2 Drying, sorting, etc. 180 87 • • • "iii ... 98 26 Total harvest 38 103 40 Grand total 270 152 72 52 140 221 60 Pounds per man-hour 71 99 134 41 29 14 23 *State average yields computed by S. W. Shear, Associate Agricultural Economist in the Experiment Station and on the Giannini Foundation, from estimates of the California Crop and Livestock Reporting Service on bearing acreage and production, except yields for dried figs, which are based partly on unofficial data. tNet weight of fruit per packed box: lemons, 80 pounds; oranges, 75 pounds; grapefruit, 68 pounds. suits may be useful in determining the relative efficiency of production. Production labor in this analysis includes all operations in growing and harvesting the crop and delivering it to the packing house. Packing, grading, processing, and marketing are not included. Yields per acre and inputs of labor are based on the four-year period 1938-1941. The tables show the man-hours of labor required per acre The box headings of table 1 show the state average yields per acre; those of table 2 indi- 1 Specialist in Agricultural Extension and Asso- ciate on the Giannini Foundation. 2 Specialist in Agricultural Extension. 3 Associate Professor of Subtropical Horticul- ture and Associate Subtropical Horticulturist in the Experiment Station. [1] cate what are considered to be good commercial yields. The citrus crop is disposed of in the fresh- fruit market in packed or loose-packed boxes and as loose or bulk fruit. The poorer grades of fruit are sold for juice and by-products. The yield per acre has been computed to a packed-box equivalent. The olive crop is canned, or utilized for olive oil. Since labor requirements vary for different utilization, they are shown in table 2 for olives used in oil making and in canning. A special classification is set up for the Q,ueen type olive for canning. This is based on methods of production and costs in the Sacramento Valley. The fig crop has three market outlets — fresh, canning, and drying. Since labor requirements and yields vary with the different varieties and the different ways in which they are marketed, table 2 gives three classifications: (l) Adri- atic and Mission for drying, (2) Calimyrna for drying, and (3) Kadota for canning. The man-hour data in the tables were developed from California Agricultural Extension Service enterprise-efficiency studies and current field inquiry among growers. Since each crop was treated objectively on a comparable basis, the figures obtained may be used to compare one crop with another. The schedule of hours is designed to fit the yield indicated. The hours of work are those required with adult skilled labor utilizing field power normally used in this period. Methods and operations vary widely in different parts of the state. Frost protection is required in some areas, but not in others. Pest control is another example of wide varia- tion in labor requirements. The hours indicated in the tables are an average of all acreages. State average inputs and yields show lower production per hour of man labor than that ob- tained from good commercial orchards. TABLE 2 Man-Hours of Labor Required per Acre for Good Commercial Yields of Certain California Subtropical Fruits, 1938-1941 Lemons, Oranges, Grape- Avo- Olives Dates, Figs" 300 250 fruit , ca- For Can- Can- 8,000 Drying Drying Canning packed packed 325 dos, oil , ning, ning ± (Mission (Cali- (Kadota) Operations boxes* boxes* packed 6,000 8,000 8,000 (Queen) pounds and myrna ) , 12,000 ( 24,000 (18,750 boxes* pounds pounds pounds 4,000 Adriatic) 1,800 pounds pounds) pounds) (22,100 pounds ) pounds 2,500 pounds pounds Cultural labor: Pruning and brush disposal 31 13 8 5 12 12 11 22 10 10 36 Planting cover- crops 1 1 1 2 Fertilization 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 Pest and disease control 9 9 4 10 10 3 1 1 3 Cultivation 6 6 6 3 5 5 6 12 3 3 7 Handwork (suck- ering, etc.) • • • • . • . . . . . . 1 1 1 Irrigation 20 20 16 21 20 20 20 30 2 2 10 Frost protection 30 16 8 • • . • • • ... . . . ... • • • . . . Pollination ... . . . ... . . . . • • • • • • • • 28 ... 17 ... Thinning and tying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . • . 20 . . . . . . . . . Placing bags . . . . . . . . . . . . • ■ • • • • ... 20 . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous 6 6 6 3 3 3 4 12 2 2 3 Total cultivation 105 73 49 34 52 52 44 151 19 36 61 Harvest labor: Picking 200 93 65 47 144 204 124 180 21 15 158 Hauling 13 9 6 3 6 6 6 6 2 2 21 Drying, sorting, etc. ... ... • • • ... ... • • a 33 24 18 Miscellaneous "6 6 4 4 Total harvest 213 102 71 50 150 210 130 186 62 45 201 Grand total 318 175 120 84 202 262 174 337 81 81 262 Pounds per man-hour 75 107 184 71 40 31 23 24 31 22 46 K Net weight of fruit per packed box: lemons, 80 pounds; oranges, 75 pounds; grapefruit, 68 pounds, rin Sacramento Valley. [2] 3m-4,'44(9860)