Case Study to convert from flood to micro irrigation in the Messia Valley New Mexico.

Introduction
Farmers that are growing chile are considering converting from flood to drip irrigation because the yield are not sufficient to support the processing plants in the area and they are considering leaving the area unless the production of chile increases considerably.

Question

The question is weather it is profitable for the farmers to convert to micro irrigation and what is the minimum ac. and type of micro irrigation system that they can install and make additional profits.

Solution

The land available for conversion to micro irrigation is limited to those fields that have wells for water supplies unless a water holding pond is build to hold the irrigation water between supplies from the Elephant Butt irrigation district. The quality of the surface irrigation is 500 ppm in TDS and 2000 ppm for the ground water.

1.Determine the current chile yield  under flood irrigation from the New Mexico Dept of Agriculture

    Answer 9.1 ton/ac green plus red long mild chile

2. Determine the maximum chile yield achieved under micro irrigation. This number could be reduced by 10 % if determined from experimental plots because of the difficulty of producing from large fields the same levels as from experimental plots. 

   Maximum red plus green  20 tons/ac  estimated maximum if produced by farmers using Best Management Practices 18tons/ac

3.  Determine the gross value of chile for the increased yield.

Answer  $285/ ton  or 0.14 /lb.

4. The normal row spacing for chile is 3.3 ft and chile plants are planted on 1 ft spacing.

5. Evaluate the economic return to convert from an economic analysis

Answer $3000/ ac or 23 % return on investment per year for 10 ac.

             $3200 / ac or 22% return on investment on 5 Ac

as little as two ac can be converted and still be profitable.

6. Check if salinity of water will reduce yield and then redue calculations. Show results. 

See USDA salinity lab for stress functions see extension publication on how to calculate yield reduction.