Economic analysis of input use in okra growing: A case study for urla district of İzmir province

In this study, input (fertilizer, pesticide, labor, seed etc.) using level of farmers who growing okra in Urla district of Izmir province was analyzed with technical and economic aspects, some recommendations for developing of safe okra growing were presented. The primary and secondary data was used in this study. The basic material of the study consists of the data collected by the survey from 80 farmers in Urla district. The secondary data of the study was collected from Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock Provincial and District Directorates, Agricultural Research Institutes, Universities, Chambers of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. Besides, regarding this subject, the results of the researches held previously in Turkey and in other countries were also used. In data analysis, firstly socio economic characteristics of farmers were examined. After, economic analysis and input using analysis of okra growing were performed. In this stage, farmers were divided into two groups according to the okra growing area; ≤3 da and >3 da. According to results of this study, the average age and education level were 50.31 and 5.79 years. Average okra growing area, average yield and average production cost were determined to be 3.59 da, 260.31 kg/da and 3.93 TL/kg, respectively. It was determined that 29.95 kg/da N, 13.99 kg/da P2O5, 24.73 kg/da K2O and 125.94 g/da pesticide (96.56 g/da fungicide and 29.38 g/da insecticide) were used by farmers in okra growing.