POTENTIAL OF ALOE VERA L. FOR ENHANCING THE VALUE ADDED OF AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN THE NEW RECLAIMED LANDS

Document Type : Research articles.

Authors

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.




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