The Study of Tomato Marketing Margin and It's Influencing Factors in the Khuzestan Province (Case Study: Dezful and Shoushtar Townships)

The purpose of theis study was to analyze the factors influencing the tomato's marketing problems in Shushtar and Dezful Townships, Khuzestan province. Moreover, values of wholesale and retail marketing margins as well as share of marketing agents in total margin, marketing cost coefficient, technical, price and total efficiency are computed. The marketing margin function based on mark up, relative margin and marketing cost models have been estimated. Required data are gathered using documentary and survey methods. By random sampling and questionnaire was completed by 50 producers, 40 wholesalers and 36 retailers. The main findings revealed that the average price of sample producers is 870 Rial, while same figure for wholesalers and retailers is 2120 and 5210 Rial, respectively. Share of producers, wholesalers and retailers in final price is 16.69, 24 and 59.30 per cent, respectively. The highest efficiency at retail level refers to the price efficiency which is 90.8 percent then is total efficiency (77.65 percent) and technical efficiency (86.87 percent). The estimated marketing margin functions show the positive relation between marketing margin and retail price.