DETERMINANTS OF FARM INCOME AND COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF CALIFORNIA VS THAILAND PAPAYA CULTIVATION: A STUDY ON SMALLHOLDER FARMERS

A socioeconomic study of soybean production in Bangladesh

This study was undertaken to estimate the financial profitability and to assess the factors affecting adoption of soybean production in Noakhali and Lakshmipur districts of Bangladesh. To collect primary data, a structured interview schedule was used to interview 90 farmers using stratified random sampling technique. A combination of descriptive, mathematical and statistical techniques were employed to analyze the data. According to the findings, 47 percent of farmers were small in farm size category. Financial profitability analysis shows that soybean production was profitable with benefit cost ratio (1.43). The logit regression model demonstrated that farmers’ education, farm size, farm income, extension contact, crop diversification practiced, and distance to market had a significant effect on farmers' decision to pursue soybean cultivation.The research findings also indicated that higher price of seed and fertilizer, low price of output and lack of transportation facilities were the major problems for input, production and marketing of soybean, respectively. Among all the problems, high price of seed and fertilizer had the highest problem confrontation index value (255) as first rank. The study recommended for ensuring affordable price of seed and fertilizers along with better infrastructure and transportation facilities to overcome the problems. Furthermore, government needs to implement subsidy scheme and assistance should be provided from the personnel of Department of Agricultural Extension to enhance soybean production in Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 48(3): 293-305, September 2023

Determinants of Farmers’ Willingness to Grow Potato on a Commercial Scale in Rupandehi District, Nepal

Despite being an important food and cash crop in Nepal, commercialization of potato is limited. This study was conducted to identify the determinants of farmers’ willingness to grow potatoes on a commercial scale, as well as the encouraging and limiting factors, in Rupandehi district, Nepal. Employing a purposive random sampling, 120 farm households were selected from seven municipalities. Primary data were collected in 2025 through household surveys using a pretested semi-structured interview schedule, while Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were conducted with selected participants. Descriptive statistics and a probit model were used for data analysis. The results revealed that farming experience, access to labor, landholding size and access to subsidy were key determinants that positively affected farmers’ willingness to commercialize potato cultivation, while age had a negative effect. Farmers reported better market access, availability of improved seeds, higher selling prices and financial support as major motivating factors for commercialization. Similarly, farmers reported risks of crop failure, lack of capital, small landholdings and unstable prices as major barriers. Thus, the study highlights the need for targeted policy actions such as providing timely access to quality inputs, expanding financial support, stabilizing market prices and promoting collective approaches to address landholding issues to enhance farmers’ involvement in commercial potato production.  

Determinants of farmers’ adoption of commercial horticulture farming in Assam, India: an analysis using the double hurdle model

Commercialization of agriculture is increasingly considered significant for fostering rural development and economic growth. Thus, an attempt has been made in this study to understand the role of various factors in driving horticultural commercialization in Assam, India. The study uses primary data from a sample of 540 farm households across six districts of Assam. The Cragg’s independent double hurdle (IDH) model is used to identify the factors influencing the adoption and intensity of commercial horticulture farming. Farmers' decisions to adopt and intensify horticulture commercialization are significantly influenced by factors like gender, education, risk-taking attitude, off-farm income, group membership, training, extension support and farmland size. However, low female participation, limited credit access, inadequate marketing infrastructure and lack of public irrigation remain barriers to widespread adoption. The study is based on a local geographical setting, i.e. the state of Assam, India, limiting the generalizability of its findings. Nevertheless, this research provides insight into the role of various factors in driving horticultural commercialization and can help farmers and policymakers make informed decisions to enhance horticultural commercialization. The study examines the horticulture commercialization in the Assam state of northeastern India, which has not been studied before. Besides, while previous research primarily uses output market participation to measure farm commercialization, this article develops a composite index incorporating three indicators: crop land share, output market participation and input market participation.

Determinants of Level of Commercialization among Horticultural Crops (Okra and Maize) Farmers in Southeast Nigeria

The study examined the determinants of level of commercialization among horticultural crops (okra and maize) farmers in Southeast Nigeria. It specifically estimated the profitability of the two enterprises; and established the determinants of level of commercialization of the enterprises. Multistage and random sampling techniques were used to select 300 farmers, however 240 (120 maize and 120 okra) farmers with properly completed copies of the questionnaire were used in data collation. Primary data were collected by means of structured questionnaire, which were administered to the farmers by personal interview. The collected data were analyzed using budgetary method and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis. The result of enterprise budgeting indicated net return on investment values of 0.55 for maize and 0.73 for okra farmers. This implied that the two enterprises were profitable, however the okro enterprise was more profitable than the maize enterprise having returned 73kobo against the 55 kobo returned by the maize enterprise per Naira (100kobo) investment. The significant determinants of level of commercialization among the maize farmers were marital status, education, years of experience and union membership while those for okra farmers were quantity produced, gender, age, marital status and years of experience. Government in collaboration with private initiatives should ensure the provision of soft loans to the farmers to enable them operate at minimal cost and earn more profit.

Farm profitability and determinants of sweet potato production in Punjab, Pakistan

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is an important and profitable crop in Pakistan due to its nutritional value, adaptability, and growing market demand. Despite this potential, limited economic assessments exist for Punjab. This study evaluates the economics of sweet potato cultivation in Sheikhupura District using primary data collected from 139 respondents through a field survey. Economic analysis was utilized to interpret the factors influencing production and profitability. The objectives were to estimate the cost of production, assess profitability, and identify measures to improve sweet potato production. Results show that farmers had an average of nine years of education and 22 years of farming experience, with 58.1% engaged full-time in agriculture. The average farm size was 5.32 acres, while the mean sweet potato area was 1.87 acres. Canal irrigation was the dominant water source (71%), and most farmers depended on rented tractors (71%). The total cost of cultivation was Rs. 442,851 per acre. Average output was 101.58 bags per acre (55 kg each), generating a gross income of Rs. 315,881. Net income amounted to Rs. 212,996 with land rent and Rs. 251,329 without land rent, confirming that sweet potato production is economically viable and profitable. Major constraints included high input and machinery costs, price fluctuations, and collusion among commission agents. The study recommends improving access to affordable inputs, strengthening farmers’ knowledge of modern production practices, and enhancing government-led price monitoring to support sustainable sweet potato production in Punjab.

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Agritourism in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa