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Table 1 Operational costs (June 2021) for mass rearing of T. remus considering the need for construction of a facility (32 mio T. remus to be released which requires 35.2 mio parasitoids to be produced per crop season) in Yaracuy State, Venezuela

From: The use of Telenomus remus (Nixon, 1937) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in the management of Spodoptera spp.: potential, challenges and major benefits

Item

Cost (USD)

Facilities construction (considering a 20-year depreciation) (f)

4500

Equipment (considering a 4-year depreciation)* (f)

6254

Direct inputs (Diet) (v)

9727

Direct material (plastic containers, consumables) (v)

5235

General supplies and materials (electricity, water, taxes)* (f, v)

9741

Labour (permanent staff = 6)* (f)

16,000

Labour (non-permanent staff, used only in production peaks = 3) (v)

3469

Services (maintenance, repair of equipment) * (f, v)

4163

Transportation* (f, v)

1500

Total costs

60,591

Unit cost (T. remus produced)

1.72

Unit cost (T. remus released)

1.89

Suggested selling price 30% of the cost

2.46

Cost per hectare (8000 parasitoids)

15.1

  1. *Estimated costs. f = fixed; v = variable; fv = 50% for each type of cost