PROFITABILITY OF RICE CULTIVATION IN THE SELECTED AREAS OF TANGAIL DISTRICT IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the major socio-economic characteristics of rice farmers; to assess the profitability of rice production farmers; and to identify problem faced by the farmers in rice production. The study was undertaken purposively in Mirzapur upazila under Tangail district. Validated and well- structured interview schedule (questionnaire) was used to collect data from 95 rice cultivars during 1 s t August, 2019 to 1 st September, 2019. The average yields of rice was 10374 kg per hectare for the farmers. The gross returns per hectare was Tk. 186732.00. It was observed that per hectare net return was Tk. 8484.52. Cost and returns were worked out to estimate profitability of rice production. Per hectare total cost, gross return, net return and gross margin were Tk. 178247.48, Tk. 186732.00, Tk. 215931.00 and Tk. 60354.5 respectively. Benefit Cost Ratio was 1.047. Cobb- Douglas production function analysis was carried out for examining the factors affecting the profitability of input use. In most of the cases the coefficients of irrigation, human labor, cost of TSP, cost of manure and cost of pesticide appeared to be significant. The summation of co-efficient of different inputs were greater than one implying that the production functions exhibited increasing returns to scale. The values of the coefficient of multiple determination of rice production was 0.92 which implied that about 92 percent of the total variation in the gross return could be explained by the included explanatory variables of the model. Production function for rice production exhibits increasing returns to scale (2.261). This means that, if all the variables specified in the model were increased by 1 percent, gross return would also increase by 2.261 percent. . The F-value for the rice farmers was 121.726 which were highly significant at 1 percent level. Unavailability of labor was the l st problems in the study and poor quality of pesticide was the last problem. To reduce input price was the 1st probable suggestions to overcome problems and available insecticides and pesticides was the last suggestion.