GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF DATES PRODUCTION IN IRAQ (ANALYTICAL ECONOMIC STUDY)

Geographical concentration for the production of agricultural products (especially Dates) from the aspects of production regions, types and cultivars is considered an important economic study. It could be used in agricultural policy to plan for agricultural industries to achieve technical and economic efficiency. Different branches of agricultural policy (price policy, production policy, marketing policy and financial policy) could play a basic role to plan in order to find an equilibrium in concentration of the agricultural products production and geographical distribution map for it. The results showed that dates concentration was in Middle of Iraq more than it was in the South, as the concentration was during the study period (19882012) about (85.20%) for Middle region and (14.80%) for Southern region. The results also showed that there are only few commercial cultivars of Iraqi date, as they were concentrated in five main cultivars only especially (Zahdi) cultivar as its production constituted about 67.45% of date production of in Iraq as an average for study period. Other cultivars such as Khistawi, Khadhrawi, Sayer and Hillawi constituted 11.17%, 3.20%, 2.94% and 2.67% of total Iraqi production from date as an average for study period respectively. The results showed also that the Southern region (especially Theqar and Basra) has an advantage in production of some cultivars (Barhi, Derey, Bream and Chibchab) in comparison with middle region. The results also showed that in spite that date characterized by reveled comparative advantage, but government price support was not sufficient to encourage dates producers to increase their production. the results showed that the net protection coefficients (NPC's) were more than (1) for the year 1995 and (2006-2012) only. The study arrived at some recommendations which could be of some benefit for agricultural policy makers in Iraq.