Relationships between producer tendency towards membership of European Union (EU) and enterprise performance in dairy cattle activity in Turkey

Author: Hasan Cicek ^1*, Murat Tandogan ¹, Yuksel Terzi ² and Mehmet Yardimci ³

Received 8 October 2008, accepted 4 December 2008.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between producer tendencies towards membership of European Union (EU) and enterprise performance in dairy cattle activities in Turkey. Data were obtained from 78 active dairy enterprises in Afyonkarahisar by surveys. The enterprises were selected with randomly sampling method. Annual production data were taken and questions regarding membership of EU were asked to the producers. Enterprise scale, milk yield and profitability rates were considered as performance criteria at enterprises. Likert type scale technique was used in scoring the producers’ answers related to their tendencies towards EU membership. T-test was used to determine the relationship between acquired total scores and enterprise performance. In conclusion, more positive approach towards EU membership was determined in the enterprises with large scale and high milk yield and profitability rate (P<0.001).

Key words: European Union, profitability, milk yield, enterprise scale.