Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 23 ISSUE 1
Written by Mevlüt GÜL, Bahri KARLI, Bekir Sıtkı ŞİRİKÇİ, Bektaş KADAKOĞLU, Yavuz TAŞCIOĞLU, Metin Göksel AKPINAR, Hilal YILMAZ, Musa ACAR

The study aimed to analyse the technical applications of the farmers in the production of potatoes in Türkiye and to reveal the information sources that were affected. In this framework, the provinces of Niğde, Nevşehir, İzmir, Afyonkarahisar, Konya, Adana, Aksaray and Kayseri, which constitute more than half of Türkiye's potato production, were included in the scope of the research. Data were obtained from 533 farmers by face-to-face survey technique. The average of the interviewed farms was 14.07 hectares of potato cultivation area, 62.07% of which was for rent, 35.96% was property and 2.77% was lands held in partnership. As the scale of the farms' increases, the rate of rental land for potato cultivation increases. In the region average, almost half of the potato cultivation area was grown on rented land. In addition, the average parcel size of 2.72 hectares and the number of pieces of potato planted land cause an increase in pre- and post-production costs. 71.63% of the potatoes produced on the farms were table, 23.57% industrial type and 4.80% seed. Although 44 different kinds of potatoes were grown in the region, it was determined that the farmers gave weight to Melody, Madeleine, Jelly, Marabel, and Agria varieties. Seed diversity varies according to the characteristics of the regions. Seed use per hectare in the research area was determined as 4,076.6 kg in the average of the enterprises and 3,950.0 kg in the weighted average of the region. In the average of the farms interviewed, the labour force used per hectare was 1,419.4 hours, and the average of the region was 1,940.4 hours. In potato production, machinery was used for 37.7 hours on average and 56.5 hours on average for the region. The amount of nitrogen given per hectare in the potato cultivation areas was 416.6 kg, the weighted average of the region was 497.2 kg, the phosphorus 89.7 kg, the regional weighted average 108.2 kg, the potassium 75.2 kg, the regional weighted average 86.1 kg. The irrigation system was mainly in the form of sprinkler irrigation. Farmers in the selection of seeds; expressed the factors of yield level, price, ease of sale, germination power, and resistance to diseases and pests as very important criteria. The farmers were using traditional information sources in the selection of seeds. It was determined that modern information sources and traditional information sources were equally effective in agricultural control. The farms interviewed received high scores on the level of cultural practices in an agricultural struggle. It was determined that producers were more affected by modern information sources in potato cultivation in the region. The potato was a product that uses a high level of input. In this respect, more conscious use of inputs and policies that guide farmers to modern information sources were considered important in terms of sustainability.

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