Assess the Energy Efficiency of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Production in the Mazandaran province: A case study of Amol city

ABSTRACT: Energy consumption in the world and Iran has increased in recent years. Recently, farmers apply more energy to produce food. To achieve the best performance, review and analyze the energy of food production is very important. On the other hand, the economic analysis for the detection performance of the product is essential. In this study, the energy equivalences of input-output used in the winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) or Canola have been investigated in Mazandaran province of Iran. The required information has been achieved from the questionnaire with the help of 71 farmers from 5 villages in Amol city, Mazandaran province. Energy analysis results showed that total input energy in production was 29332.36 MJ/ha. Of all the inputs, the fertilizer (mostly N fertilizer) has the biggest share in the total energy with a 65.11 % (19101.25.8 MJ/ha) that show, canola production severely dependent on fertilizer. Fertilizer energy is followed by diesel fuel energy which was 30.96 % (9082 MJ/ha). Energy of machinery and seed was 3.13 % and 0.51 % of total input energy, respectively. Average output energy of canola was found 41230 MJ/ha. Direct energy was 31.23 % while indirect energy was 98.77 % of total input energy. Nonrenewable energy was 99.215 % while renewable energy was 0.785 % of total input energy.

Canola, Mazandaran, Energy analysis, Direct energy, Renewable energy