I ARCHIV - International Development Research Centre

Consideration of the yield situation, however, shows that, with the exception of dry
beans, the percentage increases over the period were greater, in some cases considerably
so, in the region than in the world as a whole (Table 2).
Chick-pea
The average area devoted to chick-pea production declined in both the region and the
world over the period, the decline in the regional area being in general somewhat less than
in the world situation. The increase in the overall production of chick-peas in the region
can thus be seen to emanate principally from an increase in average yield, which was more
than double the world increase of 2% (Table 3).
The largest chick-pea producing countries in the region (Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco,
and Iran) claim this position largely because of the very large areas grown (Table 5); only
one of these, namely Turkey, also figures amongst the four highest yielders. Egypt and
Turkey, as the two highest yielding countries, produced yields well above those of the
other producing countries in both time periods, although while yields in Egypt rose
considerably, those in Turkey dropped slightly. Despite being well below these levels,
average yields of chick-peas in Iran have shown a fairly dramatic increase (64%) over the
period, whereas in Morocco yields have decreased by about 17% (Table 6).
Dry Broad Beans
The increased regional production of broad beans can be seen to result from a 14.9%
increase in the production area combined with a 44% increase in average yields. This is in
contrast to the world situation where area increases of 6.4% and yield increases of 7%
made approximately equal contributions to production increases (Table 2). Morocco,
Egypt, and Tunisia have the largest areas devoted to broad bean production, between them
possessing about 80% of the regional acreage (Table 5). However, of these, only Egypt
combines a large area with high yields, which incidentally are more than twice as much as
the other major producers (Table 6). During the period 1966-70 to 1971-75, the greatest
broad bean yield increases were recorded in Libya (a very dramatic 280%) and in Syria
(38%), while yields in Cyprus dropped by about 17% (Table 6).
Lentils
Both the area and average yields of lentils increased in the region and in the world as a
whole over the time period. Increases of 4% in both area and yield made up the world
production increase, whilst the increased regional production was composed of a 7.1%
increase in area together with a 9% increase in average yield (Table 2).
Turkey, Syria, and Pakistan have the largest lentil-producing areas in the region, but
only Turkey and possibly also Syria can be said to achieve reasonable relative yields
(Tables 5 and 6). Egypt's position as one of the four top lentil producers in the region stems
almost entirely from the high average yields that it achieves. These were nearly twice as
great as Turkey in 1971-75 and have increased by 26% since 1966-70. The greatest
overall yield increase occurring during this period, however, was of the order of 58% in
Tunisia (Table 6).
Dry Beans
Despite only a marginal increase in the average yield of dry beans in the region (1%),
as compared to an increase of 6% in the world situation, the production of this crop in the
region has increased considerably more than in the world as a whole as a result of a 12.1%
increase in the regional production area coupled with a simultaneous decrease of 0.3% in
the world area (Table 2).
Pakistan and Turkey have by far the largest areas devoted to dry bean production, but
much of the increase in area, and hence production, can be attributed to the fourfold
increase that has taken place in Iran between 1966-70 and 197 1-75 (Table 4). In terms of
yield only, Turkey rates within the top four countries in the region; Egypt again shows
yields second to none and a yield increase of 24% over the period, second only to the 40%
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