Economic Evaluation of Every-Other Furrow Irrigation for Sorghum with Real and Subsidized Irrigation Water Prices

In this study, the effect of deficit irrigation with every–other furrow irrigation method, which is an innovated method in farm irrigation management, was examined on sorghum (Sorghum durra L.) in Bajgah and Kooshkak areas of Fars Province. The experimental design was split plot with three main plots of irrigation interval (10, 15 and 20 days), three subplots of irrigation methods (ordinary furrow, fixed and variable every–other furrow), and 4 replications. Considering the crop production cost with real and subsidized prices of water in both areas, the net benefit per unit volume of irrigation water and benefit–cost ratio were calculated. The results showed that these economic parameters for the fixed and alternative furrow irrigation methods of 10-day intervals in both areas did not differ much with those of the ordinary furrow irrigation with 10-day intervals and were even higher in Bajgah area. Furthermore, the relationship between the amount of irrigation water, water application efficiency (Ea), water price per unit volume (Cw) and the net benefit per unit volume of irrigation water (B) with different conveyance efficiencies (Ec) were determined by multiple linear regression procedure. The regression coefficients of linear fit equation between the costs and irrigation water were determined. The results indicated that with higher price of water, the farmer should increase the farm irrigation application efficiency to avoid the economic losses.