The plantain crop has several advantages as food in the tropics and that adapts to a high level of technology with minimal mechanization. An acre of plantains on steep terrain with little chance for other uses in the humid highland, can produce as much dry matter content or calories for human consumption, as an acre of potatoes in machinable flat land of Idaho or other producing states.
The production of roots and tubers (yams, taro, sweet potato, cassava, taro, celery) in Puerto Rico has shown a downward trend in recent years. The local production of roots and tubers does not satisfy the demand in Puerto Rico.
In Puerto Rico, watermelon production is mainly concentrated in the south coast. For the year 1996-97, there were a total of 508 acres strewn of watermelon in this area. Watermelon production in this area is characterized the use of mechanization in most of the tasks of crop and high use of inputs. In the supplement to this publication includes a budget model that exemplifies the potential costs and revenues per acre in a commercial planting.
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