Exploring The Effects of Part-Time Hazelnut Farming on Agricultural Land Use Characteristics and Its Social Cost

Abstract

The purposes of the study purpose were (i) to explore the effects of part-time farming on land use characteristics, productivity, and efficiency, and (ii) to estimate the social cost of part-time farming in hazelnut production. The research data were gathered from randomly selected 152 hazelnut farmers in Ordu and Giresun provinces, Turkey. When estimating the part-time farming social cost in hazelnut production, sacrificed production cost, yield losses, and price losses were assessed and combined. The stochastic frontier production function model was used to measure farm-level productive efficiency. The research findings showed that excessive chemical usage, shorter harvesting time, ignoring soil and leaf analysis results when applying fertilizers, lack of investments among farmers were the reasons for inappropriate land use for the part-time farms in the research area. Full-time farmers had a higher technical efficiency score than part-time farmers. The social cost of part-time farming was ₺4424 per hectare and ₺1.47 billion in Black Sea Region. The study suggested using a legislative process to transfer hazelnut orchards to full-time farmers. Facilitating the transfer of unproductive part-time hazelnut orchards to full-time operations may decrease the adverse effects of part-time farming on the sustainability of land use and of externalities. The study also recommended that prescribing part-time farmers to reach direct government support or benefit farmers' education programs may also reduce the social cost of part-time farming. Developing education and extension programs for increasing the qualification of both family and hired labor may positively contribute the sustainable land use in the region.