Economics of Production and Marketing of Tomato crop in Egypt

Abstract

Tomato crop is considered as an important vegetable crop in Egypt, whereas average of cultivated area of tomatoes is 546 thousand feddan related to average of cultivated area of vegetables in Egypt during the study period. Marketing stages are among the factors that affect the agricultural stability , so that improving economic and social environment in which tomato producers work and format directions that help in achieving agricultural development, accordingly it has implications for producers decisions. The research problem is represented in the increase in mediators share during marketing operations, as well as high marketing costs and farmers receive low farm prices that with high retail prices paid by consumers, intervention in the price policies of tomato crop, whether in relation to inputs or outputs, which creates a differences in local and international prices, in addition to not optimizing the use of agricultural inputs. The research aimed to identify the productive position and marketing system of tomato crop , estimate the marketing margins and marketing efficiency, to analyze the current situation and map future policies and programs for producing and marketing of tomato crop. The study relied on descriptive and quantitative analysis methods represented in estimating items of production costs and revenues of the tomato crop , So that the study based on secondary data which is published by Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics during the period (2004-2018).