Sensitivity analysis of energy inputs and economic evaluation of pomegranate production in Iran

The aim of this research was to investigate the energy use and costs of pomegranate production in Behshahr city (Mazandaran province) of Iran. The required data were gathered by questionnaire and face to face interviews with 83 pomegranate producers. Cobb-Douglas model and sensitivity analysis were employed for energy flows modeling of the production system. The total energy inputs and energy output of production were determined to be 11195.06 and 13276.56 MJ ha−1, and two inputs of diesel fuel and chemical fertilizers with the shares of 45.81 and 23.47%, were the highest energy consumers for pomegranate production. Energy use efficiency, energy productivity and net energy were 1.18, 2081.50 MJ ha−1 and 0.62 kg MJ−1, respectively. The results of Cobb-Douglas model showed that the effect of the energy inputs including human labor, biocides, chemical fertilizers, farmyard manure, electricity and water for irrigation on pomegranates yield were positive, while the effects of diesel fuel and agricultural machinery were negative on the pomegranate yield. The sensitivity analysis results of energy inputs showed that with the increase of one MJ in the energy input of water for irrigation and chemical fertilizers, the yield was increased to 3.12 and 1.42 kg, respectively. Also with the increase of one MJ in diesel fuel and agricultural machinery inputs, the yield was decreased to 0.67 and 0.47 kg, respectively. Diesel fuel as the most used energy input in the production accounted for 0.85% of variable costs and the benefit to cost ratio was determined to be 5.57