Factors Affecting Saffron Farmer's Willingness to Expand Saffron Cultivation (Case Study: Torbat-e-Heydarieh Region)

INTRODUCTIONCultivation of medicinal products with high economic value and low water requirements is a fundamental solution to remedy the pattern of water use in agriculture, especially in arid areas. Although this development and change in cropping pattern is a procedure influenced by social, economic and environmental conditions may occur, the matter is that this change be in a proper planning. Saffron is a high-value product that its development is an opportunity for poverty reduction in rural areas. Although the weakness of marketing and factors such as decease in demand may cause price reduction and some compensation for farmers, but due to its high price elasticity, its cultivation can be inevitable. This makes it necessary to consider factors affect the cultivation of this product. The aim of this study is to examine the factors affecting farmers’ willingness to expand saffron cultivation in Torbath Heydarieh Region, as the main center of saffron production in country.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKMany studies on the factors affect cultivation extension of agricultural crops have underlined the economic and financial issues especially income increase. The availability of area is another economic variable, which may play an important role in the attitude of farmers in expanding cultivation and has been confirmed in several studies. Finally, some studies have emphasized on the role and importance of agricultural extension and education to promote cultivation of these crops.
METHODOLOGYThe present research is a descriptive survey research. Data collection tool is a questionnaire. The dependent variable in this study is the willings of saffron farmers to cultivate saffron, which can take two values, one (1) for when the saffron farmers tends to cultivate the crop, and zero (0) for when it is not. To estimate such models, the logit model can be used. The independent variables include the age, educational level, saffron cultivation experience, number of children, number of land plots, saffron income, product insurance, variety of production or farmer risk aversion, production cost per hectare, ownership type of water source. Torbat Heydarieh and Zaveh cities were selected to study factors affect farmers willing to extend saffron cultivation. By having an average of 9750 and 7550 hectares of saffron cultivation, respectively, these two cities account for the most important cities of saffron production in Khorasan Razavi province. A sample of 170 saffron farmers that had the possibility of expanding saffron cultivation based on land availability in year 2014, were selected based on the PASS software.
DISCUSSIONThe statistical properties of the samples showed that most of farmers willing to expand saffron cultivation age between 30-50 year while farmers in the other group age between 50-70 year. Around 45 percent of developer farmers have 8 years and more education, while the education years of 8 years and more is just 28.6 percent in the second group of farmers. 30.87 percent of farmers in first group and 42.85 percent of farmers that don’t willing to expand cultivation have an average of 30 years and more activation in saffron cultivation. 28.8 percent of farmers willing to expand cultivation are the owner of water resource while this amount in the second group is 52.4 percent. According to the results of Logit model estimation, it can be said that saffron farmers that do not have another job, are more risk-seeker and have higher income from saffron cultivation, have more motivation to develop the cultivation of saffron. Having more experience in cultivation was identified as a contributing factor in this decision, but the results showed that with increasing age of farmers the probability of admission into the cultivation of saffron will decrease.
CONCLUSIONThe findings of this study showed that the high age of saffron farmers was considered as one of the inhibitors of the development of saffron cultivation in the region. Because most of these people, as the only decision makers of the production unit, do not have the necessary mobility and dynamism, along with that creativity and innovation. Based on this, and considering the decline in the willingness of young people to cultivate saffron as a result of cultural change, the adoption of measures such as the priority in providing facilities and production inputs is important in order to attract young workforce and is recommended. Also, in view of the negative role of increasing the number of saffron land plots in the cultivation of this crop, it is suggested that, in order to overcome the structural weaknesses of the small and small exploitation system in the region, production cooperatives will form and pursue the implementation of plans for equipping, modernizing and integrating land faces. Take up considering the positive role of product diversity in the development of saffron cultivation, it is suggested that support for those who have proper production resources, water and soil, be prioritized through providing affordable facilities from the National Development Fund. Finally, due to the role of income generation of this product in its cultivation, it is suggested that simultaneously with the implementation of quantitative and qualitative development programs for saffron, with the aim of protecting saffron farmers and helping to stabilize the market, the purchase of a saffron agreement with the support of relevant executive agencies take place.