An analysis of improving energy use with data envelopment analysis in apple orchard

In this paper, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique was applied for apple (Red and Golden delicious varieties) producers in West Azarbaijan province, Iran (2008-2009). Results showed that the highest share of energy consumption belongs to packaging (57%) and irrigation (16%). Highest share of expenses were found to be 34% and 30% for labor and packaging, respectively. The total energy input for apple production, energy productivity, net energy and output-input energy value were estimated as 101,505 MJ.ha-1, 0.23 kg.MJ-1, -56.320 MJ.ha-1 and 0.44, respectively. Also, The study has helped to segregate efficient farmers from inefficient ones, identify wasteful uses of energy by inefficient producers and suggest reasonable savings in energy uses from effective sources while it describes the process of benchmarking energy inputs and apple yield. Technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies were calculated (by using CCR and BCC models) for all orchards. Inquiries on 80 orchards were conducted in a face-to-face interviewing. The VRS analysis showed that only 41 out of 80 DMUs were efficient. The TE of the inefficient DMUs was calculated as 87.8%. This implies that 12.2% of overall resources could be saved by raising the performance of these DMUs to the highest level. Results showed that the maximum share to the total energy saving is from diesel (39.7%) followed by packaging and about (28.1%). The results of analysis showed that DEA is an effective tool to analyze and benchmark productive efficiency of farms. -- apple ; DEA ; energy ratio ; benchmarking ; technical efficiency