Investigating the Role of Agricultural Cooperatives in Reducing Production Costs (A Case Study of Potato Cultivators in Ardabil Township)

This research was carried out with the aim of investigating the role of agricultural cooperatives in reducing production costs during Tillage, planting, harvesting and transportation of potatoes in Ardabil.The statistical population of the study consisted of farmers of cooperative and non-cooperative members of potato work in Ardabil city which were selected by random sampling method, 183 farmers. The required information was collected through a survey and completed questionnaires. The results showed that there was a significant difference in total of production costs between cooperatives members and non-members, so that members of the production cooperative was observed at the planting stage, which the cooperatives farmers spent 24% more than non-members. The sum of production costs in the tillage and harvesting stages was not significant. However, members of cooperatives at these stages were 3% and 2% respectively more than non-member farmers. Transportation costs were statistically significant between the two groups of farmers, so that cooperatives' farmers paid less than 22%. The Trans log cost function estimation showed that members of the production cooperatives had more costs than non-member farmers and the hypothesis of homothetic structure of potato production is unacceptable among farmers. By increasing the production level, more use made of seed input and labor, and less use of land and machinery was achieved per hectare. It is suggested that cooperatives participate in a broad and parallel way with the needs of farmers in all stages of production and marketing, and develop and expand their functional fields.