Is there a correlation between economic and energy use efficiency in soybean production?

Abstract

© 2019, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. All rights reserved. Modern society faces problems that are closely linked to the use of energy and food production. Due to population growth, it is necessary to grow food production. On the other hand, the potential shortage of fossil fuels can endanger energy security. Therefore, it is very important that in agriculture, production systems are sustainable, both from the energy and the economic aspect. The subject of this paper is economic and energy use efficiency in soybean production in Serbia. The aim of the paper is to determine if there is a correlation between these two indicators. In addition, organic and conventional production systems are compared. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) results indicate that organic soybean producers are more economic efficient than conventional. Energy efficiency is calculated as ratio of energy output and energy input. In organic system, total energy input was 9,533 MJ /ha and total energy output was 66,656 MJ/ha, resulting in energy use efficiency of 7.32. On the other hand, in conventional system energy use eficiency was lower 5.95 (total energy input was 12,362 MJ/ha and total energy output was 69,841 MJ/ha). Finnaly, the results showed that there is a correlation between economic and energy use efficiency in soybean production.