The research groups of economists, Drs. Luis Ribera and Marco Palma (Texas A&M), developed models showing potential for economic returns for cucurbit crops in multiple production regions. Macro and micro economic variables such as interest rates, input costs, production windows and existing crop budgets were collected to develop representative farms for production of watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers and squash in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Texas.
The Cucurbit Coordinated Agricultural Project (CucCAP) is a USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant under award number
2020-51181-32139.
Cooperating Institutions:
Boyce Thompson Institute; Cornell University; Michigan State University; North Carolina State University; Clemson University; University of Puerto Rico; University of Wisconsin; University of Florida; University of Georgia; West Virginia State University; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service