On capital alone center pivot wins almost everywhere: roughly 2100 to 2800 USD per hectare installed against 3400 to 4600 for subsurface drip.
Energy flips the ledger. Drip runs at under 1.2 bar at the emitter while pivots need 2.5 to 4 bar at the last tower.
Yield per drop favours drip by 15 to 30 percent in row crops and fertigation adds another 6 to 9 percent where nitrogen was broadcast.