Abstract

This study applied a parametric (Cobb-Douglas production function) and non-parametric (Data Envelopment Analysis) method to examine the energy equivalents of inputs and output, analyze the efficiency of farmers, discriminate efficient farmers from inefficient ones and to identify wasteful uses of energy in order to optimize the energy inputs for cucumber greenhouse production in Esfahan province of Iran. Data were collected from 25 cucumber greenhouses in Esfahan province (Iran) by using a face-to-face questionnaire. Results showed that the cucumber production consumed a total 124447.5MJ ha^-1 and diesel fuel is the major energy inputs in this cultivation. The CCR and BCC models indicated 6 and 9 greenhouses were efficient, respectively. The average values of TE, PTE and SE of greenhouses were found to be 0.90, 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. The results also revealed that about 8.12% of the total input resources could be saved if the farmers follow the input package recommended by the DEA. Econometric model evaluation showed that the impact of human power for cucumber production was significant at 1% levels and had the highest effect among the other inputs in this research, also the regression coefficient of fertilizer energy was found negative, indicating that power consumption for fertilizer is high in the surveyed greenhouses.

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