The Economic Influences of Loss of Production and Marketing of Yellow Corn Crop in Iraq (Babil Province; a Case Study)

Abstract

"The agricultural sector in Iraq suffers from the phenomenon of increasing losses in the main cereal crops, including yellow corn, and the low percentage of the Industrialized from them, due to a set of internal and external factors surrounding these crops during the chain of production and marketing processes that these crops go through, among these factors are what can be controlled others can not be controlled, making the crop at the pity of all these factors combined. This is a waste of the resources that were used in their production, in addition to the losses incurred by producers of these crops. The research aimed to estimate the economic effects of the loss of the yellow corn crop in Babil province by selecting a random sample of farmers and marketers of the crop and designing a special questionnaire form for each type of these producers. The results showed that the total lost quantities of the maize crop at the province level amounted to about 34 thousand tons, resulting in total financial losses of about 10 billion Iraqi dinars, as it was possible to benefit from them at the province level generally in establishing complementary or competitive projects meet the growing needs of consumers and benefit producers in the province. The lost areas as a result of the production loss amounted to about 6504 dunums, which could have been used to grow other crops or to expand the cultivation of the existing crop. Accordingly, the research recommended the necessity for agricultural extension agencies to take their role in holding educational seminars for farmers, which feed into the services needed by the crop and introduce them to the different types of loss and ways to reduce it and reduce waste in scarce productive resources, which has the effect of increasing production rates.."

The Economic and Environmental Effects of Recycling Plant Agricultural Wastes in Iraq (Yellow Maize Production Farms in Babil Province - A Case Study)

“…Babylon province is ranked first among the governorates of the country that are famous for the cultivation of the yellow corn crop in terms of area, production and productivity, where the total area of the governorate is 512 thousand hectares distributed to four districts: Al-Hilla Center District, Al-Mahaweel Center District, Al-Hashmiyah District, and Al-Musayyib District. The arable area in the province is 403 thousand hectares, which constitutes 79% of the total area of the province [21]. The area planted with maize was estimated to about 13 thousand hectares in the 2021 agricultural season.…”

Analysis of some variables affecting the marketable surplus of wheat production farms in Iraq

“…While the results show that in-kind deductions and harvest and collection losses were significant at a statistical level of 5% and negatively affected the marketable surplus of wheat, which means that an increase in these variables leads to a decrease in the marketable surplus of wheat in the study area. This is a predictable result, that any donations or losses in the crop will be at the expense of the sold quantities outside the farm [20].…”

Obstacles Facing the Agricultural Innovation System for the Corn Crop in Babylon Governorate

“…Despite the role played by the agricultural innovation system, its absence or poor performance reflects negatively on the production and productivity of the yellow corn crop, many studies conducted in Iraq indicated that the weak performance of the agricultural innovation system had a negative impact on production and productivity, the weakness of the marketing functions of the corn crop led to the lack of marketed quantities and the high loss of the corn crop [8], and the lack of processed quantities of corn varieties Bile led to a decrease in the productivity and production of corn yield per acre [9], and the weakness of agricultural extension activities related to the corn crop led to a decrease in crop productivity [10], as well as the weakness of its environmental extension activities in warning farmers against the use of fuel residues that lead to the accumulation of heavy elements in the soil causing many diseases to humans, animals and plants alike [11] and [12]. In the Governorate of Babylon, the picture of the level of performance of the agricultural innovation system was not much different from what it is in the whole country, as the reality indicates a weakness in the performance of this system, for example, but not limited to the weakness in the role of government companies in the processing of agricultural supplies, especially with regard to the varieties of seeds of the corn crop and chemical fertilizers [13], and the presence of losses of the marketed corn yield, as its losses are estimated (34) thousand tons resulted from this The loss of economic losses estimated at (10) billion dinars [14], the weakness of financial financing and the large number of routine procedures, which reduced the opportunities to benefit from agricultural loans and advances granted to government agricultural departments [15], and many studies and scientific research indicated a weakness in the agricultural extension service provided to yellow corn farmers in the Governorate of Babylon [16] and [17]. The performance of the agricultural innovation system is affected by several factors, including the obstacles it faces, which limit the system from performing its tasks and achieving its objectives [18], and improving the performance of the system [19], as well as it reflects negatively on the performance of employees in the system [20], meaning that the agricultural innovation system cannot provide its services to the beneficiaries unless its obstacles are diagnosed and effective solutions are proposed [21].…”