Land Ownership and Profitability of Greenhouse Production: Antalya Case

Abstract

Agricultural production and income are important for Mediterranean region of Turkey. The region and especially Antalya province is well-known with greenhouse production. For greenhouse production achieving sustainability is important for meeting domestic and foreign demand and security of production lands. In order to measure the potential for improving greenhouse operators 281 farmers were surveyed in 2015 in Antalya and profit inefficiency and factors affecting inefficiencies of operators were estimated using stochastic frontier approach. Accordingly, the average inefficiency level of operators was found as 57 %, signifying the potential for improvement. The main objective was to undermine the impact of landownership on this inefficiency level. Yet, the impact of other relevant factors referring to greenhouse structures and famers‘ characteristics were estimated as well. While level of education seemed to reduce inefficiency, household size had appeared as an inefficiency rising factor referring to professional labour endowment of greenhouse production in Antalya. Being renter of land appeared as an inefficiency rising factor as well as holding plastic house or having located in the western parts of Antalya. These findings indicated importance of supporting improved production technologies and use of strengthened structures. In addition, it appeared as essential to provide incentives to renters to cope with their costs.