The Effect of Seasonality in the Wholesale Markets of the Tomato Crop on Monthly Prices in Baghdad City during the Period (2014-2019)

Abstract

The research aimed to analyze the seasonality of the data of the monthly wholesale prices of the tomato crop in the city of Baghdad during the period (2014-2019) based on the method of simple means corrected for the Trend. The seasonality of the data was revealed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. The research found the presence of seasonal compounds in the tomato crop price data, which confirms that prices are greatly affected by the Season. This is evident from the low prices in the hot seasons due to the high costs of storing it if the merchant tries to keep it and is forced to sell it, in addition to the high production quantities in the summer months. In addition, the extracted seasonal index values ​​indicated the fact that prices were affected by the season through a decrease in the seasonal index values ​​affected by the season, meaning that the results confirmed each other. The research recommended that although prices are affected by seasonality, reliance on production quantities, for example (greenhouses), will make it necessary to prevent the import of the crop at peak times. In addition to the need for production to be balanced between the production of open farms and the production of greenhouses so that it does not affect prices significantly. The research also recommends the availability of accurate data because inaccurate data affects the research results. Finally, work to implement laws that protect farmers and not just legislate them without implementing them.