PROFITABILITY AND RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF ONION CULTIVATION IN FARIDPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

The present study was conducted to find out the profitability and resource use efficiency of onion cultivation in Faridpur district. A total of 90 farmers were selected randomly from three upazila of Faridpur namely Bhanga, Nagarkanda and Sadarpur. Data were collected from the sample farmers through face to face interview. Majority of the sample farmers were engaged in agriculture. Overall literacy status of the farmers was good in the study areas. Cobb-Douglas production function had been used to achieve the objectives. The average total cost of onion cultivation was estimated Tk. 185979 per hectare. The average yield per hectare was 11833 kg and average per unit onion price was Tk. 28. On an average gross return, gross margin and net return per hectare were Tk. 335173, Tk. 161191 and Tk. 149194 respectively. On an average BCR on full cost basis was 1.80 which implies that one taka investment generated 1.80 Tk. The coefficient of multiple determination, R 2 and F-value were 89% and 87.95 which indicated good fit of a model. The ratio of MVP and MFC of human labor, land preparation, seed, urea, TSP, MOP, irrigation and insecticides was 1.82, 6.51, 4.32, -5.73, 1.08, -5.38, 3.57 and -11.00 respectively. It indicated that farmers in the study areas were over utilizing urea, MOP and insecticides. On the other hand human labor, land preparation, seed, TSP and irrigation were underutilized. Farmers faced many problems in the study areas during the period of onion cultivation. Among them output price fluctuation, high wage rate of labor, lack of human labor were major problems of onion cultivation. Supply of inputs at reasonable price and improvement of market facilities can play an important role in increasing onion production.