Work

Economic Efficiency of Fertilizer Use in Paddy, Canola, and Cotton Production: Evidence from Türkiye

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study analyzes the economic efficiency of fertilizer use in the production of paddy, canola, and cotton in Türkiye. The sampling methods used were; simple random sampling for cotton, stratified sampling for rice, and a complete enumeration method for canola. Primary data were collected from 74 paddy, 83 canola, and 136 cotton producers. The data used in the research pertain to the 2016 production season for cotton and the 2018 production season for rice and canola. Production functions were estimated based on the main input variables for each crop. In paddy production, the coefficient of determination (R²) was found to be 0.972, the sum of input elasticities (Σbi) was 1.002, and the elasticity coefficient of the fertilizer input was 0.243. The marginal efficiency of fertilizer use in paddy was calculated as 13.67. For canola production, the R² value was 0.919, the fertilizer elasticity coefficient was 0.662, and the total input elasticity (Σbi) was 1.004. The marginal efficiency coefficient of fertilizer in canola was found to be 9.39. In the cotton model, the coefficient of determination was 0.915, the elasticity of fertilizer input was 0.263, and the total input elasticity was 0.976. The marginal efficiency of fertilizer in cotton production was calculated as 4.18. In all three models, the fertilizer variable was statistically significant at the 5% level. Additionally, the high R² values and statistically significant F-statistics indicate the reliability of the estimated production functions. The results show that fertilizer is not used at an economically optimal level in the examined enterprises for any of the three crops. These findings imply that there is potential to increase both yield per unit area and farm income through improved fertilizer use. In conclusion, increasing the amount of fertilizer applied per unit area in paddy, canola, and cotton production can be considered an important strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and producer profitability.

Source: Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi

DOI: 10.33462/jotaf.1715119

Authors: Arif Semerci, Ahmet Duran Çelik

Institutions: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Mustafa Kemal University

Language: Turkish

Topic: Agricultural economics and policies

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi, Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi