AN ANALYTICAL ECONOMIC STUDY ON THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTION OF SOME MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN EGYPT

Hassan, Hanan A.; Abd El Hady, Walaa O. A.; Elalfy, Reem M.

doi:10.21608/jes.2025.363681.1977

AN ANALYTICAL ECONOMIC STUDY ON THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING THE PRODUCTION OF SOME MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Environmental Research, Ain Shams University

² Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Business, Ain Shams University.

10.21608/jes.2025.363681.1977

Abstract

This research examines the production and economic status of cumin and basil crops in Egypt, recognizing their significance as essential non-traditional agricultural crops within the medicinal and aromatic plants sector. This sector plays a crucial role in supporting the local economy and increasing foreign exchange earnings through exports. The study aims to analyze the production and economic indicators of these crops, with a focus on identifying the factors influencing their production and proposing solutions to enhance efficiency and sustainability. The research placed special emphasis on the relative importance of cultivated areas, per-acre productivity, and total production of both cumin and basil, along with an analysis of the distribution of these areas across different agricultural governorates in Egypt. The findings revealed a decline in the cultivated areas of medicinal and aromatic plants despite an overall increase in total production. Cumin exhibited relative stability in productivity, whereas basil production declined despite an expansion in its cultivation, indicating challenges in production efficiency. Additionally, rising production costs negatively impacted economic returns, despite an increase in revenues. Accordingly, the study recommends stabilizing the cultivated areas of cumin, improving agricultural techniques, encouraging investment in the local processing of cumin and basil, and enhancing production efficiency through modern irrigation technologies. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of supporting farmers through training programs, implementing flexible pricing policies to ensure price stability, and adopting a well-planned expansion of basil cultivation in newly reclaimed lands. The study also underscores the need to analyze the factors affecting the production of other medicinal and aromatic crops to enhance their sustainability.

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