Analysis factors affecting on the dates production efficiency in Bam County with DEA approach

Bam region is one of the main regions for Mazafati Date production in Iran. Because of limitation of Date production inputs in Bam region application of optimum production management in input utilization is necessary. The main objective of this study is to estimate the technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiencies. The efficiencies were estimated using data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique. The statistical population of this study consisted of 1240 Dates producerd of Bam county that 142 of them were chosen as statistical sample by applying Stratified Random Sampling and Cochran formula. The data were collected by questionnaire that designed with open question and its face and content validity was approved by a panel of experts. Research results revealed that mean technical, scale, allocative and economic efficiency scores of the sample orchards were 61.15, 66.2, 46.14 and 28.22 percent, respectively. Findings revealed that the farmers were inefficient in the use of all the resources; and all producing inputs are uses higher than optimum consumed amount and the most discrepancy of consumption respectively are in animal fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, machinery use and water use. An econometric analysis based on Tobit Regression models indicated that age of farm operator, years of schooling, number of contacts with extension agents and orchard capital were had significant impact on of technical efficiency.