Abstract
I
n this study, the comparative advantage of main agricultural
products and its relation to cropping pattern was studied in
Ilam Province. For data analyzing the comparative advantage
and government policies effects indices, Policy Analysis
Matrix (PAM) were used. The obtained results for the comparative
advantage indices of Domestic Resource Cost (DRC),
Social Cost Benefit (SCB) and Net Social Profitability (NSP)
show that production of irrigated wheat, dry-farming wheat
and dry-farming barely has not comparative advantage in
Ilam Province but the production of irrigated barely, corn,
dry-farming pea, dry-farming lentil, watermelon, cucumber
and tomato have comparative advantage in Ilam Province. In
addition, the obtained results for NPIC index show the Nominal
Government Protection of inputs in all products. Also, Nominal
Protection Coefficient index indicated that nominal market
protection of products like wheat (irrigated and dry-farming)
and barely (irrigated and dry-farming) was positive and those
of other products were negative and the Effective Protection
Coefficient for wheat and barley had the highest values. The
results showed that the existing cropping pattern was not
allotted with comparative advantage but is related to the
effective protection coefficient.