Evaluating the economical and financial profitability of different cotton cultivation systems and its impact on cropping pattern of Gorgan County

The aim of this study was evaluating the economic and financial profitability of different cotton cultivation systems and its effects on cropping pattern in Gorgan County during 2014-15. Required information has been collected by stratified random sampling method from 50 farmers who cultivate cotton in three systems of crop cultivation including mono cropping, double cropping (cotton-bean), and intercropping (cotton-sesame). Data between three cotton cultivation systems was analyzed by using SPSS software. After that, the optimal cropping pattern of Gorgan County was determined by using 295 farmers in Gorgan and using mathematical programming model with GAMS software. The results of profitability showed that, double cropping systems of cotton compared to mono cropping and inter cropping systems has more than 18 and 26 percent economic profitability and 20 and 22 percent financial profitability respectively.The results of determining the optimal cropping pattern of Gorgan county showed that, double cropping system due to more economic and financial profitability than other products, was included in the copping pattern of the county and other cotton cropping systems removed from the model. According to the results of this study, it is suggested that by encouraging farmers to use a double cropping system, the total cultivation area of cotton could be increased in Gorgan County.