Estimation and Analysis of the Economic Efficiency of melon Production in Nineveh Governorate for the 2024 Growing Season

Abstract

The research aims at achieving a set of objectives, which together constitute an agricultural policy linked to the measurement of economic efficiency (EE) and overall productivity of elements (TFP) using data envelope analysis (DEAP).As for the watermelon crop, the size of the community reached 480 farmers and the cultivated area reached 2,300 dunums.Then a random sample of watermelon farmers was taken, amounting to (60) farms, amounting to (12.5%).The cultivated area of the sample amounted to (646) dunums, representing a percentage of (28%) of the total cultivated area.For the watermelon crop, the spring button was chosen because it is used in the region to produce the two crops, and all of them were included in the study plan . The results of the economic efficiency assessment of the melon crop showed that (2) farms have achieved optimal full economic efficiency (100%) and equivalent to (3.4%) of the study sample farms and adult (60) Farms with earmarked efficiency, while being the lowest value for economic efficiency at the farm No. (22) The value was (0.642) So this farm has to reduce its production input by (35.8%) to optimize economic efficiency , economic efficiency has averaged 85.7%, and this level is low compared with the technical efficiency ratio, which indicates the possibility of reducing costs by farms by a percentage (85.7%) achieved the same level of production, and the amount of resources achieved for the economic efficiency of the Dunum was estimated assuming a change in capacity returns (VRS) for the study sample farms specifically for the main study variables which are six variables (X1 Seeds, X2 Organic Fertilizer, X3 Chemical Fertilizer, X4 Pesticides, X5 Number of Workers, X6 Machine Work) , The method of analysis of the DEAP data envelope has been adopted according to the cost function and estimate the supplier's quantity at the lowest cost at which economic efficiency is achieved of which surplus or deficit in different resources has been calculated by comparing the actual resources of each farm with its economically efficient counterpart and then calculating the proportion of such surplus or deficit; Some farms have shown a lack of use of resources or surplus use of other resources, and by analysing the overall productivity of factors it averaged (99.3%), the research therefore recommends that optimal quantities should be used through production and according to the crop's need for these inputs as they are important in increasing the overall productivity of the elements and thus increasing production and achieving efficiency.