Reviewing the Effects of Guaranteed and Purchasing Price Policies on Cultivation Pattern of Agronomic Crops in Qazvin Plain, Iran

Abstract

The effects of the guaranteed and purchasing price policy on agronomic crop cultivation patterns were investigated under three scenarios in the Qazvin plain of Iran. In all scenarios, the surface under cultivation of water-saving products, especially wheat, decreased and on the contrary, the surface under cultivation of water-taking products, such as alfalfa and tomato, increased. The average income of farmers in the region increases under all scenarios; the lowest increase is related to the second scenario in which farmers’ income rises by 7.5–7.7%, and the highest increase is related to the third scenario in which farmers’ income rises by 8.5%.

Keywords:

• Agronomic crops
• farmers’ income
• PMP method
• pricing policies
• Qazvin plain

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated Institute of Planning Research. We confirm that the data, models, or methodology used in the research are proprietary, and derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the first author on request.

Notes

1 The agricultural production purchasing price index tracks trends in the prices of goods and services used by farmers for their farm operation. These prices are taken from the vendors of farm products. In the guaranteed purchase of crops, a bilateral contract is concluded between farmers and the government. Under the agreement, farmers will be required to produce a certain amount of produce in return for receiving a certain amount of seed from the government. In contrast, the government is required to purchase products from the farmer.

2 Water requirement of agronomic crops including irrigated wheat, irrigated barley, forage corn, irrigated alfalfa, sugar beet, rapeseed, watermelon, irrigated bean, melon, tomato, and cucumber is equivalent to 6486, 5531, 13,911, 19,333, 16,845, 4548, 11,741, 10,064, 11,643, 16,179, and 10,788 (l/ha), respectively. Therefore, irrigated wheat, irrigated barley, and rapeseed need less water, and forage corn, irrigated alfalfa, sugar beet, watermelon, irrigated bean, melon, tomato, and cucumber are water-taking crops.