Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
BSc. Student in Agricultural Economics, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
2
Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan.
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan,Rasht, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Rice is one of the most important cereal crops in northern Iran, and improving input use efficiency is essential for sustainable paddy production. In many rice fields, yield improvement is not necessarily achieved through higher input use, as excessive or unbalanced application can reduce technical efficiency and increase production costs. Fouman County in Gilan Province is a major rice-producing area where Sadri Hashemi is widely cultivated. This study aimed to analyze average productivity, marginal productivity, and output elasticity of key production inputs in rice farming.
Materials and Methods: This applied study used cross-sectional data from 380 rice farms in Fouman County. The main inputs included labor, seed, chemical fertilizer, manure, pesticide, and machinery service cost. Four functional forms (Cobb–Douglas, Translog, generalized Leontief, and quadratic) were estimated using ordinary least squares. Translog model was selected as the preferred functional form based on statistical fit and diagnostic tests. Input elasticities and productivity measures were calculated at sample mean levels.
Results and Discussion: The Translog production function was selected as the final analytical model based on diagnostic tests and its ability to represent variable elasticities and input interactions. Estimated output elasticities for labor, pesticide, and seed were -2.73, -0.31, and -0.40, respectively, indicating region III of production. Chemical fertilizer (0.02) and manure (0.06) were located in region II with low positive elasticities. Machinery service cost showed the highest positive elasticity (0.74), indicating its significant role in improving paddy production. These findings suggest that improving input allocation and management practices is more impactful than merely increasing input quantities.
Conclusion: The findings reveal that the main issue in rice production is not input scarcity but inefficient input allocation and management. Labor, pesticide, and seed are overutilized relative to their optimal technical levels. Fertilizer management should focus on timing and application quality rather than quantity expansion. Mechanization plays a key role in improving productivity.
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