Cost and profitability of tomato cultivation in a protected environment with different spacings

Abstract

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a crop of significant global economic importance due to its extensive cultivation area and its role in generating employment and income. Climatic conditions pose a major challenge to production, necessitating the use of protected environments to produce quality fruits. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the cost and profitability of tomato cultivation in a traditional cultivation environment covered with plastic film and in a cultivation environment covered with polycarbonate and water film, using different spacings as a decision-making criterion. The experiment was conducted in the experimental area of Embrapa Agrosilvopastoral in Sinop - MT. Different environments were used: a greenhouse covered with 150-micron agricultural film and a greenhouse covered with polycarbonate with the application of a water film for cooling and five spacings: 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 m. Commercial fruit yield, total operating cost, and profitability were evaluated. For both environments, the 0.2 and 0.3 m spacings showed greater fruit yield and, consequently, gross revenue, reflected in profitability parameters such as operating profit, gross margin, profitability index, breakeven point, and price. The other spacings assessed did not show economic viability.