Economic Structure of Chickpea Farms: The Case of Yozgat Province

Abstract

The aim of this study was to reveal the economic structure of chickpea-producing enterprises in Yozgat province. Within this framework, the goal was to calculate chickpea production costs, profitability indicators, and the gross production value obtained from agricultural activities by the enterprises. The main material of the study consisted of data obtained through face-to-face surveys from enterprises in villages where chickpea production is intensively carried out in the Merkez, Sorgun, and Sarıkaya districts of Yozgat province. The number of enterprises to be surveyed was determined as 74 using the stratified sampling method. The single product budget method was used in the analysis of the data. The data obtained pertained to the 2024 production season. According to the findings, chickpea yield per decare was 105.32 kg, production cost was 2,736.05 TRY, and relative profit was 1.38. Chickpea production in Yozgat province was profitable on average for enterprises. However, research findings revealed that enterprise scale, marketing opportunities, and fixed costs played a decisive role in profitability levels. Therefore, it was necessary to increase agro-industrial investments to transform chickpeas not only as raw materials but also into high value-added products through processing (flour, chips, roasted chickpeas, etc.).