Sesame crop production and cost function, a case study at Qena Governorate

Sesame is one of the important oil crops in Egypt according to its industrial uses . This research aims to investigate the recent economic situation including the cultivated area , the productivity , the total production , farm -gate price , total cost , total return and its net return in Egypt and Qena Governorate . The study used both descriptive, and quantitative analyses to achieve its objectives . Secondary and primary necessary data were collected and have been used . The study showed that the average area of Sesame in Egypt and Qena Governorate reached about 69 , 5.4 thousand feddan yearly during (1995- 2007) period its average productivity amounted to about 4.27, 5.0 ardab per feddan. Studying farm-gate price showed that it has yearly increase about L.E 17.4 and 17.44, the total cost was estimated at about L.E 1110 , 1147 per feddan , while its retenu reached about L.E 877 , 1061 , recording L.E 50.3 , 69.7 increasing annually in Egypt and Qena Governorate respectively. The estimation of supply response function indicated that the net of Peanut , Summer Squast and Summer cucumber are the factors affecting the area o Sesame . The estimation of cost function indicated that the production quantity that minimize the cost is about 8.1 , 8.39 , 5.62 , 5.62 ardab / feddan , while the optimum productivity estimate was about 9.25 , 9.17 , 7.04 , 6.8 ardab / feddan at the total sample , first , second and third group respectively . The elasticity of production was 1.42 , 1.05 , 0.11 and 2.46 , while the elasticity of cost was 0.8 , 0.23 , 1.2 and 0.53 at the total sample , first , second and third group respectively its sows that the producers total sample , first group and third group at the first stage of production function , while second group at the second stage of production function