Change of Agricultural lands use and Economic-Environmental Damages

The economic and population growth in Iran has been resulted in conversion of agricultural lands to urban and industrial uses. This paper attempts to estimate the environmental and economic value of agricultural lands which has been converted to industrial and residential use. The results indicate that the environmental value of per hectare paddy is about 310 million rials each year in Mazandaran Province. Whereas، production value of land was about 120 million rials. Comparing these figures، it would be suggested that in a cost and profit analysis of land the opportunity cost of land use change also should be considered.