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Crop Information
Safflower
Safflower is grown principally in California and Arizona but has been grown successfully in all of the Western states. The acreage varies from year to year according to the demand for safflower oil, which is obtained from the crushed seed. The oil is used on paints and in margarine and other human food. The seed is also harvested for birdseed. In 1963, the national acreage peaked at around 300,000 acres. Production of seed per acre on irrigated soils has varied from 2,500 to 4,000 lb/acre, and on dry land soils from 500 to 2,500 lb/acre.
Safflower is sometimes planted instead of barley or wheat. Although safflower is slightly more costly to produce, the same growing culture and harvesting equipment can be used. When grown in cotton-producing areas, the cotton mills would process the seed, and the residue after the oil is removed was used for livestock feed.
In Arizona the production acreage has fallen from about 5,000 acres in 1999 to some 500 acres in 2002. Safflower in Yuma county is a relatively minor crop and is mostly commercially grown by contract for birdseed. The yield has been in the 1.2 to 1.25 tons per acre, and the price has recently been in the area of $0.20 per pound, or approximately $400 per ton.
| Ranch Budget - Safflower |
Est. Cost |
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| Land Cost** |
$100.00 |
| Water (2.5 acre feet) |
50.00 |
| Land Preparation (Tractor Work) |
125.00 |
| Seed |
25.00 |
| Fertilizer |
50.00 |
| Chemicals |
20.00 |
| Irrigation |
25.00 |
| Harvest and Cleaning |
55.00 |
| Administration |
5.00 |
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| Cost (Per Acre) |
$455.00 |
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| Expected Yield |
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| 1.20 tons per acre |
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| Market |
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| $400.00 per ton |
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| Total Income (Per Acre) |
$480.00 |
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| Net Crop Income (Per Acre) |
$25.00 |
**The actual land cost is dependent upon the farmers economic position in the land, whether or not there is any debt to be serviced and/or if the land is owned or leased.
The actual cost of fertilizer and chemicals is dependent on the conditions of the field at the time of planting. The previous crop's ground nutrients may be sufficient to lower the fertilizer cost, and the herbicides and insecticides are determined by the current conditions each year.
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