PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS AND INPUT USE EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE CULTIVATION IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF CHUADANGA DISTRICT IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to identify the socio-economic characteristics of maize growers; to estimate the cost and return of maize cultivation; to assess the input use efficiency of maize cultivation and to address the problems faced by the farmers and suggest some policy recommendations. The study was conducted in six villages of Alokdia and Karpashdanga union under Chuadanga sadar and Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga district. Data were collected by using interview schedule from the purposively selected 80 respondents during 1 ii st June to 30 th June, 2019. After analyzing the data, total cost of production was Tk. 124495, Tk. 134335 and Tk. 140579 for marginal, small and medium maize production respectively. Per hectare gross return was Tk. 213997, Tk. 204972 and Tk. 197163 for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively. Per hectare gross margin was Tk. 120478, Tk. 104748 and Tk. 92516 for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively. Net return was calculated by deducting gross cost from gross return and these were Tk. 89502, Tk. 70637 and Tk. 56584 for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively. Benefit cost ratio was 1.72, 1.53 and 1.40 for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively. From Cobb-Douglas production function analysis, it was observed that the coefficients of land preparation cost, irrigation cost, urea and MoP was significant at different level of probability for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively and the coefficients of human labor, seed and pesticide used was not significant while the coefficients of TSP was negative and significant for marginal, small and medium maize production, respectively. Input use efficiency indicated that all of the resources were under used for maize production except overutilization of human labor and TSP. So there was a positive effect of key factors in the production process of maize cultivation. This study also identified some of the problems associated with maize production. The findings revealed that high price of inputs was the most acute problem followed by lack of technical knowledge and shortage of human labor at the critical stage and declining soil fertility was the last obstacle which stand in the way of maize production in the study area.