Energy use efficiency and economic analysis of greenhouse cucumber farming in turkey: Case of thrace region

Abstract

This study was carried out in a plastic covered unheated greenhouse on the lands of Atatürk Soil Water and Agricultural Meteorology Institute in Kırklareli. Energy use efficiency and economic analysis of greenhouse cucumber farming were determined in the study. According to the results, total energy input, energy output, energy output/input ratio, energy productivity, specific energy and net energy in greenhouse first crop cucumber farming were determined as 45452.43 MJ ha-1, 88303.20 MJ ha-1, 1.94, 2.43 kg MJ-1, 0.41 MJ kg-1 and 42850.77 MJ ha-1, respectively. Total energy input, energy output, energy output/input ratio, energy productivity, specific energy and net energy in greenhouse second crop cucumber farming were determined as 50470.11 MJ ha-1, 58534.40 MJ ha-1, 1.16, 1.45 kg MJ-1, 0.69 MJ kg-1 and 8064.29 MJ ha-1, respectively. Total expenses, gross output value, gross profit, net profit and relative profit of first crop cucumber farming were calculated as 54423.08 $ ha-1, 100802.74 $ ha-1, 61760.96 $ ha-1, 46379.66 $ ha-1 and 1.85, respectively. The same economic indicators of second crop cucumber farming were calculated as 58299.69 $ ha-1, 66820.09 $ ha-1, 24014.61 $ ha-1, 8520.40 $ ha-1 and 1.15, respectively. According to energy use efficiency and economic analysis results, cucumber farming in plastic covered unheated greenhouses in the region of the study appeared to be a profitable agricultural activity. © 2019, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. All rights reserved.