The Survey of Comparative Advantage in Selected Crop Production in Iran

  The main objective of this study is to analyze comparative advantage and protection indices for selected crops over 2003-2004. For this purpose Domestic Resource Cost Index and Policy Analysis Matrix have been used. The results indicated that Iran has comparative advantage in Rainfed Wheat, Rainfed Barley,Irrigated Maize,Irrigated and Rainfed ChickPeas,Irrigated Onion and Irrigated Potato production. On the contrary, results showed that Iran hasn’t had comparative advantage in other production.   Results also revealed that the private values of all farming crops (with the exception of paddies) are less than their social values. Findings told that government policies have imposed some taxes on producers. But about all of farming crops in this paper, farmers has been protected in tradable inputs.   At last, the effective protection coefficients, generally indicated an effective protection on wheat, barley and paddies.   JEL Classification: Q18- Q28