Abstract
This study was designed to identify the jute-based cropping patterns practiced by the farmers and to assess the resource allocation pattern in jute-based cropping patterns. The study was undertaken in three locations representing three agro-ecological zones of Bangladesh namely the Low Ganges River Floodplain area in Faridpur (AEZ-9); the Old Brahmaputra Floodplain area in Kishoreganj (AEZ- 12); and the Tista Meander Floodplain area in Rangpur (AEZ-3). The analysis was mainly based on a set of field level primary data collected from 300 sample farmers from the three locations. Linear programming technique of analysis was used for determining optimum jute- based cropping patterns in the three locations.
Economics of major jute-based cropping patterns in the Faridpur area revealed that while gross margin was highest for Jute (0-4) - T.Aman - Lentil, BCR was highest for Jute (0-4) - Fallow - Lentil pattern. The marginal analysis showed that the highest rate of return to investment was achieved from the pattern Jute (0-4)
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- T.Aman - Lentil. In the Kishoreganj area, while Jute (0-4) - T.Aman - Potato pattern was superior in terms of gross margin, the highest BCR was obtained from the Jute (0-4) - T.Aman - Chili pattern. This pattern also gave the highest rate of return to investment. The pattern Jute (0-4) - T.Aman - Potato generated the highest gross margin per hectare in the Rangpur area. The benefit-cost ratio was highest for the Jute (0-4) - T.Aman - Fallow pattern in this area. The marginal analysis showed that the pattern Jute (0-4) - Fallow - Potato had the highest rate of return to investment in the
area.
Results obtained from analysis of comparative advantage of jute production revealed that the domestic resource cost of jute and rice production in Bangladesh at 1998 prices were 0.96 and 0.92 respectively. Thus the results indicated that the country would incur less cost by producing jute than it would earn in foreign exchange by exporting jute. Hence, from economic profitability point of view, jute production was marginally profitable.
Analysis of resource use pattern revealed that farmers in the study areas were
not using their resources efficiently in the existing production plans. Reallocation and optimization of available resources indicated major shift of land allocation from existing plans to the optimal plans in all the selected areas. In optimal plans A with restricted capital, two cropping patterns viz. Jute (O-9897) - Fallow - Lentil and Jute (0-9897) - T.Aman Lentil were found to be efficient in the Faridpur area. With relaxation of capital constraint, the model selected only one pattern, Jute (O-9897) - T.Aman Lentil in plan B. In the Kishoreganj area, Jute (0-9897) - T.Aman - Chili pattern appeared in the optimal plan A which kept about 11.25 per cent of land idle throughout the year. In the optimal plan B with unrestricted capital, however, the model selected Jute (O-9897) - T.Aman - Potato pattern, with all the jute land being fully utilized. In the Rangpur area, two cropped pattern Jute (0-9897) - Fallow - Potato appeared in plan A with restricted capital, which kept 24.28 per cent of land fallow throughout the year. In plan B with unrestricted capital, three cropped pattern Jute (0-9897) T.Aman - Potato was selected by the model and the land was fully utilized. Therefore, optimal allocation of resources under restricted capital situation decreased the land utilization in both Kishoreganj and Rangpur areas. Employment opportunities increased remarkably in all the agro-ecological zones when capital restrictions were withdrawn.
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Net returns increased in both the optimal plans A and B in all the locations studied. The study revealed that the divergence between optimal and existing net returns was more pronounced in the Kishoreganj area than in Faridpur and Rangpur areas. There were wide gaps between the returns obtained from the existing practices and improved practices which indicated the need for strengthening of extension services for dissemination of information relating to improved jute production technologies at farm level.