COMPARATIVE PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS OF ZERO TILLAGE GARLIC VERSUS BORO PADDY CULTIVATION IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF NATORE DISTRICT

Abstract

This piece of research was undertaken in order to assess the comparative profitability of zero tillage garlic and boro paddy production at Gurudaspur Upazila in Natore district. A total number of 60 farmers were randomly selected. Necessary statistical analyses were performed to achieve the objectives of the study. The Cobb-Douglas production function was used to determine the effects of individual inputs on garlic and boro paddy cultivation. Per hectare total returns for garlic and boro paddy were Tk. 274464 and Tk.137828, gross margin were Tk. 94524 and Tk. 42751 and the net returns were Tk. 53877and Tk. 7383, respectively. The undiscounted Benefit Cost Ratio was 1.24 and 1.06 for garlic and boro paddy production, respectively. The results indicated that garlic cultivation was more profitable than the boro paddy cultivation. The net returns were influenced by most of the factors included in human labor, seed, fertilizer and manure, power tiller, and irrigation. Farmers producing garlic and boro paddy faced problems related to production and marketing of the crops. It may be concluded that the farmers should be encouraged to grow more garlic rather than boro paddy as a means of increasing farm income through diversification of crop production in the area under study.