Abstract

In this study a non-parametric method of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to estimate the energy efficiencies of cucumber producers based on eight energy inputs including human power, diesel fuel, machinery, fertilizers, chemicals, water for irrigation, electricity and seed energy and single output of production yield. Data were collected using face-to-face surveys from 25 greenhouses in Khuzestan province of Iran. Energy indices, technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies were calculated by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach for 25 cucumber greenhouses. Total energy input and output were calculated as 163994 MJha^-1 and 62496 MJha^-1, respectively, whereas diesel fuel consumption with 45.15% was the highest level between energy inputs. Energy output-input ratio, energy productivity and net energy gain were 0.38, 0.47 kg MJ^?1, -101498 MJ ha^?1, respectively. The average values of TE, PTE and SE were 88%, 91% and 96%, respectively.

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