Evaluation of Energy and Economic Analysis of Chestnut (Castanea Sativa Mill.) Fruit Production in Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine and evaluate the energy use efficiency analysis of chestnut fruit production. The evaluation of situation was done for 2016 production season in Aydin province of Turkey. The agricultural input energies and output energies used in chestnut production were calculated to determine the energy use efficiency analysis. According to the study findings, the energy inputs in chestnut production were calculated respectively as 3175.20 MJ ha−1 (51.53%) chemical fertilizers energy, 1621.51 MJ ha−1 (26.32%) human labour energy, 675 MJ ha−1 (10.95%) petrol/gasoline energy, 450 MJ ha−1 (7.30%) farmyard manure energy, 213.11 MJ ha−1 (3.46%) animal labour energy and 27 MJ ha−1 (0.44%) transportation energy. Total input energy and output energy were calculated as 6161.82 MJ ha−1 and 70,800 MJ ha−1. The energy output/input ratio, chestnut fruit (yield), specific energy, energy productivity and net energy were calculated respectively as 11.49, 6000 kg ha−1, 1.02 MJ kg−1, 0.97 kg MJ−1 and 64,638.18 MJ ha−1. The performed total energy input in chestnut production could be classified as 40.73% direct, 59.27% indirect, 37.08% renewable and 62.92% non-renewable. Benefit-cost ratio was calculated as 3.29 for chestnut fruit.