VALUE CHAIN AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF MAIZE AND SUGARCANE: A STUDY IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF CHITTAGONG HILL TRACTS OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to assess the entrepreneurship and value chain development opportunity on maize and sugarcane in some selected areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts. The purposive random sampling technique was followed for collecting data in this study. A total of 69 maize growers, 74 sugarcane growers and 37 intermediaries were selected. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data. Acharya’s methods were used for estimating marketing efficiency. Factor analysis was done to measure the factors affecting value chain and entrepreneurship development and for measuring marketing performance, price spread and growers share were calculated. About 85-89 percent maize and sugarcane grower’s main occupation was farming. Most of the growers occupied less than 0.5 ha of land. The total production cost of maize and sugarcane were at Tk 43544.61per hectare and Tk 180615.67 respectively. Marketing cost of the farmers was Tk. 769.15 for maize and Tk. 1032.56 for sugarcane per metric ton. Marketing cost for maize by different intermediaries was at Tk. 2192.5, Tk. 1491.00, Tk. 1210.32 and Tk. 2023.97 for Faria, Wholesaler, Aratdar and Bepari respectively. Marketing cost for sugarcane was at Tk. 4726.72, Tk. 2884.45, Tk. 2473.4 and Tk. 4121.09 for Faria, Wholesaler, Aratdar and Bepari respectively. For maize growers highest BCR were found when maize are sold in district market and it is 1.078 for growers and lowest BCR were found .916 when maize were sold at farm gate. For sugarcane growers highest BCR is 1.277 and lowest BCR is 1.077 for district market and farm gate market selling respectively. In maize and sugarcane value chain Bepari were added highest values. Education, market price, capital and credit availability, location of the market and number of traders were the most important factors which significantly influence the value chain and entrepreneurship development in the study area. For developing value chain in the study area some constraints like lack of market information’s, unavailability of credits, low local demand, poor transportation facilities, market toll, lack of credit facilities, absence of storage facilities and lack of available market place was found. In this area, emphasis should be given to improved storage, establishment of feed mills, advertising through electronic and print media, improvement of road and communication facilities, lessening of market toll, and credit facilities from credit institution to improve effective production and marketing of maize and sugarcane.