Analysis the factors affecting management of wheat losses in Iran (Ilam Township)

Abstract Wheat is considered as a strategic product due to its important role in political and economic areas in the countries. Therefore, any action taken to improve the quantity and quality of this product would be of great importance. One of the factors influencing the quantity and quality of this strategic product is its losses created in various stages of planting and harvesting that its management is very important. The present study was performed to investigate factors affecting wheat crop waste management in the city of Ilam using a descriptive (non- experimental method). It was a cross-sectional survey of causative – communicative research series. The study statistical population included wheat farmers in the city of Ilam in the crop year of 2013-2014. Using a stratified sampling method, 300 subjects were studied as the sample. A questionnaire was used for field data collection, and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha (0.95) . The results of regression analysis showed that the followings were as explaining factors affecting wheat waste management: Variables of age, history of wheat cultivation, number of family labor, the rate of wheat yield per hectare, area under cultivation, access rate to machinery required in the planting stage, access to needed machines at harvesting stage, awareness rate, education, credit, type of culture and gender, 69% of the variability of dependent variables. The variables of farmers' awareness rate had the highest effect in reducing wheat crop losses, and the education levels had also the highest influence of wheat waste management.