Narcissus and Daffodil

132 J.B. Briggs
Table 5.1 Typical gross margin for growing Narcissus bulbs ‘two-year-down’ in
the UK
1996
(£/ha)
1999
(£/ha)
Output (year 2 only)
Saleable and planting stock
Variable costs
Year 1
12 750 12 075
Bulbs 6000 6000
Hot-water treatment 1088 1200
Fertilisers 116 116
Sprays (field) 380 374
Year 2
7584 7690
Fertilisers 20 20
Sprays (field) 401 357
Post-lifting spray 600 600
Drying 300 300
1321 8905 1277 8967
3845 3108
Gross margin per hectare per annum 1922 1554
prices would need to be used in the gross margin for the first cycle. Bulb prices
rose sharply in the mid-1990s and saleable stock was realising £525–£550/
tonne. There has, however, been a levelling out of bulb prices in the mid-1990s
at £400–£450/tonne.
2 For the purposes of this exercise, it has been assumed that there were no flower
sales. It is estimated that, in seven years out of ten, flower sales in the second
year of 30 000 bunches/ha (ten stems per bunch) at 10 p/bunch (net of labour
and marketing costs) could be achieved. On an average basis, this would add an
additional £2100 to the two-year gross margin. This must be weighed against
the potential loss of yield of saleable bulbs, which may be as much as 10–20%.
3 In the first year of planting, growers would probably have to buy planting
stock at open market prices of £500/tonne, which would reduce the gross
margin on the first crop by £1500. Once the system is established and planting
stock is available from the harvested yield, the value of the stock is not important,
as it is comprised of smaller bulbs that would not normally be marketed.
4 It has been assumed that bulbs will be harvested in July after natural senescence,
so that chemical desiccation (using sulphuric acid) is not required.
Further details of the variable costs used in this exercise are given in Table 5.2.
Bulb grading, if required, would add approximately £1000/ha to these costs.
Marketing or packing costs, if applicable, would add £40 per tonne sold or £600/ha.
Most narcissus crops are grown on a ‘two-year-down’ basis in the UK (see also
Chapter 4, this volume). The results of trials in Lincolnshire and Cornwall in the
1980s, comparing one- and two-year-down systems, showed that in the UK
one-year-down growing was not economic. The introduction of a one-year-down