An economic study of the impact of losses on potato production and consumption in Egypt

Abstract

This Study aimed to measure the impact of the loss on the food security of Potatoes in Egypt during the period 1995-2018, using food security indicators and economic equations used to estimate loss of agricultural resources, in addition to the standard economic analysis of the partial adjustment model. In achieving its objectives, the study relied on secondary data issued by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This study concluded in a set of results, the most important are: (1) potatoes are considered self-sufficient crops as well as export crops, where the state resorts to export surplus instead of storing it for domestic consumption, and helps to adopt this policy to ensure the flow of potatoes to the markets, due to the cultivation of potatoes within three lugs per year, (2) The production adequacy period for domestic potato consumption decreased from 425 days in 1995 to 406.6 days in 2018, while the period of import coverage for domestic potato consumption increased from 9.6 days in 1995 to 17.9 days in 2018, (3) The volume of potato lost increased from 224,000 tons in 1995 to 1,091,000 tons in 2018, i.e. the volume of potato lost potatoes increased at an annual growth rate of 7.3%, (4) Total loss of land and water resources amounted to 953.87 thousand acres, 2,226.32 million m3 each, respectively, during the period 1995-2018, (5) The missing is considered one of the most important determinants of the food security of the potatoes, as it has been shown that a 10% increase in the nutritional security of the potatoes by 2.41%, (6) To reduce the cost and its negative effects on agricultural economic resources and food security, the researcher recommends: (1) Expansion of the use of post-harvest technology for potato transport and storage, (2) conversion of food lost to livestock in case it is not suitable for human consumption.