Efficiency analysis of corn production: case of Şanlıurfa province

In this study, technical, allocative and economic efficiency measures are derivedfor a sample of corn producers in Şanlıurfa using the parametric Stochastic FrontierAnalysis (SFA) technique and nonparametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA).Efficiency measures obtained from the two frontier approaches are compared and socioeconomic factors affecting productive efficiencies are also analyzed using tobitregression analysis. The mean technical, allocative and economic efficiencies are 84 %,78 % and 64 %, respectively, for the parametric approach and 81 %, 87 % and 77 % forDEA. Rank correlation analysis revealed that the efficiency rankings of the sampleproducers based on the two approaches are highly correlated. Also, it was found thatthere is a consistency in returns to scales with two methods used in this study. Thus theresults from both approaches reveal considerable inefficiencies in corn production inŞanlıurfa. Analysis of the role of various socio-economic factors on productiveefficiency shows that number of irrigation and watering frequency has significant effectson efficiency levels.Keywords: Technical, Allocative and Economic Efficiency; Data EnvelopmentAnalysis, Stochastic Frontier Analysis