Comparative Energy Use Efficiency and Economic Analysis of Apple Production in Turkey: Case of Thrace Region

Abstract

This study includes the agricultural enterprises producing apple which applied and did not apply good agricultural practices in Thrace Region of Turkey, during the production season of 2014. The basic purpose of this study is the determination of input use amounts, energy use efficiency and economical comparison of the enterprises. In the study, total of 43apple producers who applied good agricultural practices in Thrace Region participated in the survey. Besides, the same survey was also conducted with the same number of producers who did not apply good agricultural practices for the comparison of the enterprises. According to the results, the energy inputs in apple production were calculated as 30,940.16MJ ha(-1) and 33,648MJ ha(-1) in the enterprises applying and not applying good agricultural practices, respectively. Energy use efficiency, energy productivity and specific energy were determined as 1.36, 0.57 and 1.77 respectively in apple production by applying good agricultural practices. Energy use efficiency, energy productivity and specific energy were determined as 1.23, 0.51 and 1.94 respectively in apple production by not applying good agricultural practices. Relative profit values in apple production were calculated respectively as 1.15 and 1.12, by dividing the gross production value by production costs per hectare.