ECONOMICAL STUDY FOR PRODUCING AND MARKETING SOME ORGANIC MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANT IN FAYOUM GOVERNORATE

Abstract

the intensive use chemical fertilizers and pesticide- as one the methods,- to increase crop productivity, which leads to spread negative effects on the safety the environment and human health. So the Ministry Agriculture and related bodies interested in and encourage the production food crops to use organic farming. This research aims to shed light on the future organic farming and the development cultivated area in the Arab countries during the period (2008-2012), in addition to review some organic farming in the governorate Fayoum, which is one the most important one in Egypt applied these kind farming. Fayoum comes in the forefront in terms organic cultivated area medicinal and aromatic plant which represented about 27% the total cultivated area at the level the Republic, which is estimated at 23.41 thousand feddan. A purposive sample has been selected the largest district in the governorate namely; Fayoum and Ebshway, and then two villages each district were selected. A questionnaire forms was designed in the season 2013/2014 (the sample size are 80 farmers)distributed as follows: 40 farmers for organic farming, each district 20 farmers spread over two villages include 10 farmers per village, in the Fayoum district both Manshyet Sakran and Sheikh Fadel villages selected in Fayoum district, both Juncho and villages were chosen in Ebshway district, on the other hand a similar sample selected in the same villages for the same selected traditional crops.Fayoum district the first place in terms organic cultivated area which amounted to 3.024 thousand feddan represented 47.8% the total cultivated area at the governorate level, which amounted to 6.32 thousand feddan, both villages Manshyet Sakran and Sheikh Fadel were selected, their total area were about 180 and 230 feddan respectively in both summer and winter crops to the study villages for each peppermint and marjoram.The district of Ebshway occupies the second place with an area approximately 2.03 thousand feddan represent 32.2% the total cultivated area at the governorate level, both villages Abu Jncho and Tobhar has been selected which amounted to about 52 and 62 feddan for the cultivation summer and winter both peppermint and marjoram. The findings the economic indicators the crop study marjoram and peppermint for both organic and conventional agriculture, indicated that productivity marjoram decreased in organic farming by about 7.1% comparing to its counter pass in traditional agriculture, an increase by 101.5% have happened, with respect to both total return and net return perfeddan, they are growing by 213.3%, 283.8%, respectively, comparing to traditional agriculture, and this reflects the increase in the average farm gate price per ton for Organic Marjoram about 12.8 thousand tons, compared to 3.79 tons in traditional Marjoram with an increase represented 237.1%.As for productivity per feddan for organic peppermint, it has increased by about 2.56% comparing to traditional peppermint, while increasing the average variable costs in organic farming by about 1070 pounds, an increase 25.2% the average variable costs in conventional farming, there is also an increasing for each total return and net return per feddan by 64.1%, 81.7%, respectively rather than their counter pass in conventional farming, reflecting the increase in the average farm gate price per ton for organic peppermint to about 12 thousand pounds compared to 7 thousand pounds for traditional peppermint ,with an increase represented 71.4%.It is worth noting that farmers are facing several problems when they apply organic farming, which the most important is the effect chemicals residual, pesticides, which were suffered by about 85% the farmers in the study sample, followed by the problem the rise bio- composes prices by 72.5% the number farmers, then the problem low productivity per feddan represent 57.5% the farmers and also the problem the spread weeds, insects by 55% the sample farmers.With regard to the most important problems facing farmers in traditional farming, they are the high price inputs which represent about 52.5% the study sample size, as well as the limited number skilled labor and the infection diseases and fungi by 22.5%, 77.5%, respectively, and also lowering the average farm gate price per ton representing 72.5% the number farmers in the study sample.So, the research recommends the following:  To encourage the formation Non-governmental associations organic farming and to support them as its important role to spread organic farming in the countryside and then increase the net income farmers.  To Link the organic crops farmers with markets by contracting farming with organic farming associations and exporters with suitable tools.  Working on reach the marketing information with accessible manner for farmers and exporters to ensure the marketing their products at the right price and highly quality through the marketing information network.  To increase the organic cultivated area financing their farmers as a reason their highly production costs.