The Cost and The Economic Effectiveness Analysis of the Winter Rape Production Technologies (Brassica Napus L. SSP. Oleifera) on Heavy Soils

Winter rape farming practices were carried out between 2007 and 2009 on heavy soils under the conditions of the East Slovak Lowland. The influence of two levels of nitrogen fertilizers and three soil tillage technologies on winter rape seed yields was monitored. The costs of growing and the growing technology cost effectiveness were evaluated.

The influence of production year 2009 on winter rape seed yield was statistically significant. The effect of conventional tillage variant on rape seed yields was more significant compared with the variant with minimum tillage. The lowest yield of oilseed rape was obtained in a non-tillage variant. Higher dose of nitrogen fertilizers had higher statistically significant effect on winter rape yield compared with lower dose of nitrogen fertilizers.

The total cost of one ton of winter rape seed varied within the monitored years, different soil tillage technologies and levels of fertilization. In average of monitored years, the lowest costs of winter rape seed production were at minimum tillage (258.37 € t^-1 for variant N₁₅₀; 259.81 € t^-1 for variant N₂₀₀). At direct sowing, the costs were 400.14 € (variant N₁₅₀), and 372.41 € (variant N₂₀₀), however, the yields were very low.

Economic effectiveness evaluation showed that the winter rape produced by direct sowing was unprofitable, either with or without subsidy. The highest economic effectiveness was achieved at the minimum tillage variant. This variant was profitable even without subsidies, using both fertilization levels, but it was more profitable at the lower level of nitrogen fertilization. The profitability of conventional tillage variant was smaller.