Evaluation of the cross efficiency of oyster and button mushroom cultivation units in the provinces of the country considering the unfavorable output

Due to climate diversity, Iran is able to produce all kinds of edible mushrooms, which, due to the need for low initial investment, the possibility of cultivation in all seasons and medicinal value, are of great importance. However, growing mushrooms produces waste that is problematic for humans and the environment as well. The purpose of the current research is to evaluate the cross efficiency of oyster and button mushroom cultivation units using data envelopment analysis and considering the undesirable residual output. Thus, it provides the ability to analyze efficiency according to the amount of waste.

The current research is functional in purpose and the cross efficiency method with the assumption of variable return to scale has been used to evaluate the efficiency of edible mushroom cultivation halls in Iran, considering compost waste as an undesirable output. This research is analyzed by GAMS software and the input and output data is extracted from the Iran Statistics Center in 2020.

The results of the analysis of the research show that seven units have an efficiency of one among mushroom cultivation units in the provinces of the country and the reduction of undesirable output increases the number of efficient units according to the number of variables considered.

Originality/Value: 

This research is a more comprehensive analysis in continuation of research and expanding its scope. In the previous studies, there was no adverse outcome in the discussion of mushroom cultivation, and in this study, the waste amount was considered for this purpose.