THE MOST SUITABLE CROP COMPOSITION OF EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE IN LIGHT OF CONTEMPORARY FOREIGN TRADE CONDITIONS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The best cropping system is considered a rela-tive concept because it is not easy to know exactly what is best due to the phenomenon of wrestling and contradictory objectives, where there are many goals that can be achieved under both of resources the specific, economic and political of domestic and international. From an economic point of view, a better cropping system maximize the net economic return in light of the various available technical possibilities and influential de-terminants relevant to this cropping system. The problem of the study was to identify the possibility of responding to the cropping system with export opportunities and helps to increase it and reduce imports, the light of expected changes in both the cropping system and in foreign trade is moving randomly away from the trends of the state towards the optimal use of the cropping system. Therefore, the study aimed to analyze some eco-nomic aspects of the most important agricultural crops that can be used in determining the best cropping system in which the strategic objectives of Egyptian agriculture can be achieved in light of the possible foreign trade changes of the most important Egyptian crops. The study used some of Quantitative analysis methods for estimating pro-duction and economic indicators related to crop composition and foreign trade. It was found that grain yields came in the lead among other crop groups during the study period, where the percentage of area planted with cereals ranged by 44.3% of the crop area during the study period. The second place represented 35% of the cultivated area during the study period. Although the feed group retained the second place through-out the study period, it was noted that its relative importance has declined recently. In the case of a food gap through the orientation of agricultural policy towards the cultivation of crops with the greatest food deficit and achieve the self-sufficiency rate of wheat food gap It ranged be-tween a maximum of 15953 thousand tons in 2017 and a minimum amount of 2927 thousand tons in 2009 and an average of 6149.8 thousand tons. The proportion of self-sufficiency of wheat ranged between a maximum of 74.4% in 2009 and a min-imum of 40.5% in 2010 with an average of 56.6% Rice: It is evident from the food surplus of rice ranged from a maximum of 1312 thousand tons in 2007 and a minimum of 22 thousand tons in 2014 except in 2011, where there was a food gap of rice estimated at 49 thousand tons and the average surplus 15046 thousand tons. The self-sufficiency rate of rice ranged from a maximum of 133% in 2001 to a minimum of 98.8% in 2011 and an aver-age of 115%. They indicate the food gap of maize ranged from a maximum of 6890 thousand tons in 2011 and a minimum of 2377 thousand tons in 2004 and an average of 4076.8 tons. The self-sufficiency of maize ranged between 79% in 2009 and 56.2% in 2015 and 61.7% in 2009.