An Economic Study of Maize Crop in Ismailia Governorate

The maize crop in Egypt is considered one of the most important summer strategic crops, which are used for human consumption and animal consumption as well. Domestic consumption was about 16.36 million tons for the same year, and the food gap was estimated at about 8.96 million tons, which led to an increase in the amount of maize imports and an increase in the deficit in the trade balance. Estimating the economic indicators of the production and cost functions and estimating the farm budget using statistical methods for the data of the field study sample of the maize crop in Ismailia Governorate for the agricultural season 2021/2022.
The results showed that:
1- By studying the development of the area, production and productivity of the maize crop in the Arab Republic of Egypt during the period (2000-2021), it was found that there is a statistically significant annual increase in the area and production, and this increase amounted to about 0.033 million feddans and 0.088 thousand tons, respectively. While there was a decrease in the productivity per feddan by about -0.012 tons / feddan. The significance of this increase was fixed at the level of 0.01. By studying the development of the area, production and productivity of the maize crop in Ismailia Governorate during the study period, it was found that there is a decrease in the cultivated area by about -0.164 thousand feddans and that there is a decrease in the total production by about -0.080 thousand tons. It also proved significant increase in productivity per feddan, which amounted to about 0.011 tons / feddan. By studying the development of the quantity and value of imports, the quantity consumed, and the average per capita share during the study period, it was found that there is a statistically significant annual increase of 1% for each of the quantity and value of imports, which amounted to about 0.232 million tons, or 1.587 billion pounds. It was also found that there was an annual increase in the quantity consumed, which amounted to about 3.16 million tons, and its significance was statistically proven at the level of 5%. It also showed that there was a decrease in the average per capita share by about -2.181 kg/year.
2- It was found from the study of economic efficiency indicators of the maize crop for the study sample that the productive flexibility of the studied production elements is positive (directive), that is, by increasing these elements, the total production increases, and also increases the economic efficiency of all the studied production elements, as the economic return for each of the municipal, nitrogenous and phosphate fertilizers reached Potassium, human labor, mechanical work, and seeds were about 4.2, 4.7, 7.1, 9.7, 1.1, 2.8, and 2.7, respectively. The significance of the function model was proven statistically, as the value of (q) was about 133.74, and the modified coefficient of determination was about 0.904, meaning that the studied variables determine production by 90%.
3- It is clear from the statistical estimate of the optimal resource combination for the maize crop in the sample of the study that the estimated resource combination for the two components of municipal fertilizer, M3, and nitrogen fertilizer, kg (effective unit) at 180 pounds and 17 pounds, respectively. The cost of municipal fertilizer amounted to about 2160 pounds and 2040 pounds for nitrogen fertilizer, with a total cost of about 4200 pounds. Comparing it with the actual supplier mix, we find that there is a difference of about 125 pounds, which provides an opportunity for farmers to reduce costs by this amount by increasing nitrogen fertilizer and decreasing municipal fertilizer.
4- By studying the functions of average total costs of the maize crop in the sample of the study, we find that the optimal production volume, which has lower costs, was about 28.5 ardab/feddan, at a total cost of about 22452 pounds/feddan, and the net return was about 25998 pounds/feddan. As for the volume of economic production, it amounted to About 36 ardab/feddan, at a cost of about 31465 pounds/feddan, with a net return of about 29,735 pounds/feddan. Comparing the actual production with the optimal production, it was found that it is less than it by about 4.5 ardab/feddan and less than the economic one by about 12 ardab/feddan.
5- It is clear from the analysis of the farm budget for the maize crop in the sample of the study that the total costs amounted to about 19606 pounds / feddan. By calculating indicators of productive and economic efficiency, it was found that the total revenue amounted to about 40,800 pounds/feddan, and by calculating the profitability of the invested pound from the total costs, it amounted to about 1.08 pounds, and the total margin was estimated at about 26,994 pounds/feddan.
6-  It is clear from a study of the effect of some dummy variables on the acre productivity of the maize crop for the study sample that cultivation in heavy soil increases productivity by about 2.92 ardibs/feddan, and that cultivation in soil with a low level of ground water increases productivity by about 5.54 ardibs/feddan, and regularity in planting Irrigation operations and the purchase of seeds from a known source increase the average productivity by about 5.51 and 19.25 ardibs / acre, respectively. By examining the problems of the maize crop in the sample of the study, it was found that the most important problems were the high costs of fertilizers, the high level of ground water, and the high percentage of losses during collection and transportation, which amounted to The mean score is about 2.82, 2.7, 2.69. The average problems were about 2.54.