Investigating Efficiency and Energy Consumption in Sugar Beet Production

Articles in Press

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

1 Assistant professor of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Zabol University. Zabol, Iran.

2 Agricultural Economics - Faculty of Agriculture - Zabol University - Zabol - Iran

10.22092/jsb.2025.367487.1376

Abstract

Increasing the level of technology, investment in the agricultural sector and the use of production inputs have important effects on increasing the production of agricultural products. On the other hand, increasing the level of inputs and technology is limited due to the lack of available resources; Therefore, the best way to increase production is to improve efficiency and productivity. The current research was conducted with the aim of determining the efficiency and energy consumption in sugar beet production in the crop year 2021-2022. The statistical population of this research was the population of beet growers in the Islamabad plain of Qain city in South Khorasan province. Necessary information was collected through interviews with experts and completion of 48 questionnaires from sample beet farmers of Qain city. After determining the amount of consumption of each input in the production of one hectare of the product, the efficiency of farmers was determined and to determine the amount of energy consumption, the amount of each input was converted into its energy equivalent. The average optimal efficiency of farmers was calculated as 1.76 in the cluster-oriented mode. In other words, 27% of the farmers were located on the efficient border and had potential efficiency. The energy input for sugar beet production was calculated as 403.5 GJ/hectare from the average manpower, diesel fuel, irrigation water, fertilizers, chemical pesticides, and seed consumption. Energy efficiency for sugar beet is 1.09 and energy efficiency is 0.06 kg. The total input energy of sugar beet is equal to 403.5 gigajoules per hectare, equivalent to 12%, the most important reason of which is the increasing dependence of the agricultural systems of the country on non-renewable resources. In this regard, it is necessary to guide agricultural systems towards sustainable agriculture and optimal use of production resources and reduce the consumption of energy inputs, especially high consumption inputs such as chemical fertilizers and fuel.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Journal of Sugar Beet

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 April 2025

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