POTENTIAL OF ALOE VERA L. FOR ENHANCING THE VALUE ADDED OF AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN THE NEW RECLAIMED LANDS | ||
| Fayoum Journal of Agricultural Research and Development | ||
| Article 7, Volume 31, Issue 1, January 2017, Pages 88-107 PDF (552.82 K) | ||
| Document Type: Research articles. | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/fjard.2017.191232 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Emad Zaky El Hawary; Khaled A. Abdu; Heba M. Salah | ||
| Department of Agriculture Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza. Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Aloe vera is well known as good potential source for maintaining health conditions for both human and animal life as well. Nevertheless, the adoption of Aloe vera by Egyptian farmers is considered very low. This is attributed to the lack of information farmers possess about the cultivation, agricultural practices and economic benefits of Aloe vera at both individual and national levels as well. The major contribution of Aloe vera is derived from its industrial utilization. One of the important pharmaceutical properties that have recently been discovered for both the Aloe vera gel and whole leaf extract is the ability to improve the bioavailability of co-administrated vitamins in human subjects. Furthermore, the dried powder obtained from Aloe vera gel was successfully used to manufacture directly compressible matrix type tablets. The major theme of this paper is to raise the awareness of Aloe vera plant to both growers and policy makers in Egypt about the importance of Aloe vera and its huge uses in different cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. In addition to raise Egypt's national income and provide employment opportunities through an increase the value added of the agriculture sector. Finally using the new reclaimed lands as the GOE, is moving towards reclamation of 1.5 million feddans which requires innovation of new paradigm in development the agricultural sector. Adoption of Aloe vera in the new lands can be good example for development of agriculture in a new fashion and enhancing added value of the sector and hence the national income will be increased. This paper is conducted to demonstrate associations or relationships among different variables that affect the farmer's adoption of Aloe vera in the new reclaimed lands and the consumers attitudes towards demand for such products that contain Aloe vera and in particular cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. At the farm level, cross data is collected in a one time interview with the available Aloe vera farmer in El-Fayoum Governerate in 2014. Another survey was conducted to collect data about consumer's habits and preferences regarding demand for Aloe vera products between three consumer classes at different hours and different types of retail stores. The questionnaire was designed and protested. Data for 1146 consumers were collected, coded and analyzed. Results recorded that there is 50.9% within the three classes know about the Egyptian Aloe vera various products and 49.1% within the three classes don't know about the Egyptian Aloe vera various products. The third low income class is the highest class represents 73.5% knows about Aloe vera various products due to the vital role of the spice dealers which are trust source for these class in promoting the Aloe vera products. While the first high income class represents 56.5% knows about the Egyptian Aloe vera various products because they usually do shopping and spend a lot of time looking for new products. And the second medium income class is the lowest one represents 23.1% know about the Egyptian Aloe vera various products. In addition data showed that the average annual revenue for Aloe vera leaves per feddan was LE 110 thousands, while the total variable costs estimated at LE 20,250 per feddan and the total fixed costs estimated at LE 900 per feddan. The break-even yield necessary to cover all total costs at a given output price is 10.5 ton/feddan, while the break-even price needed to just cover all total costs at a given output level price is LE 384.5. The results suggests that, a governmental effort should be done to encourage farmers and / or teenagers to buy the unfertile lands with reasonable prices and credit facilities for cultivating this miracle Aloe vera crop. In addition that there is a good opportunity to do more effort to increase the awareness of the high income and medium income consumers about the Egyptian Aloe vera various products especially they highly demand for natural products with high quality. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| cultivation of Aloe vera; world trade; enterprise budget; cost of production; Egypt | ||
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