PRODUCTION ECONOMICS OF EGYPTIAN COTTON IN THE SALT-AFFECTED LAND

Water is the natural resource that exerts the greatest constraint on Egypt's agricultural production system. Most of Egypt's cultivated lands depend on irrigation from Nile. However, Egypt’s agriculture is under pressure to justify its use of water resource, which is scarce due to increased competition for water resources. The water management problem is currently increasing in the context of the ongoing national transition from a government-controlled market with government intervention in the management of all activities to a free-market economy. Furthermore, due to the ambitious programs of desert agricultural development, the shortage of water supplies is becoming more serious after El Nahdda dam. Issues of equitable distribution of dwindling water supplies are becoming more serious and more is needed to assure fair access to water and more efficient use and allocation of it. On the other hand, accumulation of excessive salt in irrigated soils of Egypt negatively affects crop yields, reduce the effectiveness of irrigation, ruin soil structure, and affect other soil properties. High level of water table and shortage in irrigation supply in the salt-affected land doubles from the harmful effects of salinity problems. Consequently, the average productivity of the cultivated crops in salt-affected land is less than the half of corresponding averages at the national level. Cotton is the one of the main cultivated summer crops in the salt-affected land in Egypt. The main objective of the study is studying the production economics of cotton in the salt-affected land. The impacts of production factors used to produce cotton crop in salt-affected land will identify and measure. The various combinations of manure and irrigation water inputs which produce or yield equal production to cotton producers will derive and identify. The impacts of technical changes on the quantities produced of cotton and on the optimal and maximum-profit production levels will measure. The relationship between the quantity produced and the production costs of cotton crop will estimate and investigate. The levels of optimal and maximizing profits for the studied crop in the salt-affected land will identify and determine.