28
COMCEC Agriculture Outlook 2019
At the sub-regional level, the use of fertilizers in the African Group Countries was very low
with 15 kg/hectare in 2013. On the other hand, the use of fertilizer in Arab Group Countries
and Asian Group Countries are 674.6 kg/hectare and 224.9 kg/hectare, respectively.
Figure 24 Fertilizer Use in the OIC by Sub-Regions
Source: FAOSTAT
2.6 Mechanization
The ratio of number of tractor per 1,000 hectares of arable land in the OIC member countries
declined to6.9 in 2008 from9.8 in 2002. This reduction shows that 1,000 hectares of arable land
needed to be harvested by 6.9 tractors in 2008, instead of 9.8 in 2002. Even though the number
of tractors used increased in the OICmember countries between 2002 and 2008, increasein the
arable land area was higher. Hence, this situation leads to a decrease in the ratio of number of
tractor used in arable land in the OIC.
Developed countries and other developing countries alsoexperienced a similar reduction in this
ratio. As of 2008, the world average was 4.8 and the average of other developing countries was
1.72. In other words, compared with other developing countries and the world average, the OIC
member countries are in a better position collectively in terms of tractor use. Nevertheless, the
OIC member countries still have insufficient agricultural mechanization relative to developed
countries group inwhich the ratio is calculated as 10. Therefore, considering that the same area
of arable land is harvested by 6.9 tractors in the OIC member countries compared to10 tractors
in developed countries, the use of agricultural machinery in the OICmember countries needs to
be improved.11
11 SESRIC, 2014
7.6
2611.0
173.5 9.3
659.7 237.0
13.4
1411.7
219.1
15.0
674.6
224.9
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
African Group Arab Group Asian Group
kg/ha
2010 2015 2016 2017