Abstract
The present study was conducted in selected areas of Bangladesh in both winter and summer seasons during 2006-07 to estimate productivity, productive efficiencies and supply response of maize by using primary and secondary data. Stochastic frontier production and cost functions, Tornqvist Divisia Index and Nerlovian Partial Adjustment Model were used in this study. Most of the farmers applied fertilizers at lower than recommended dose for both winter and summer maize. The recommended dose users of TSP, zinc sulphate and irrigation obtained higher yield in winter maize than other users. The undiscounted BCR was found more than one and half on the basis of TC both in winter and summer maize. As a result, maize production was found to be profitable to the farmers. Empirical results of stochastic production function focused that the coefficients of power cost, nitrogen, potassium, manure, irrigation cost, land type and variety were positively significant for winter maize production. While the coefficients of human labour and land rent were found negative and significant. In the technical inefficiency effect model for winter maize production, the coefficients of operated land, extension linkage and maize training were found negatively significant. The coefficients of farmers' age, education, maize farming experience and household size were positively significant. In summer maize production, the coefficients of power cost and sowing time were positively significant while the coefficients of human labour, nitrogen and land rent were negatively significant. In inefficiency parameters, the coefficients of farmers' education, extension linkage and training on maize were negatively significant. The empirical results of stochastic cost function indicated that the coefficients of output, power cost, seed price, TSP price, borax price, manure cost, irrigation cost, pesticide cost and land rent were positive and significant for winter maize. In the economic inefficiency effect model, the coefficients of farmers' education and household size were negative and significant. In summer maize production, the coefficients of power cost, seed price, urea price, irrigation cost, land rent, soil type and variety were positive and significant. The mean technical, allocative and economic efficiencies for overall areas were 0.88, 0.89 and 0.78, respectively for winter maize production. While the corresponding figures were 0.87, 0.95 and 0.83 for technical, allocative and economic efficiency, respectively for summer maize. For estimating productivity, it was found that the parameters of aggregate input indices, aggregate output indices and total factor productivity indices were the highest in the period 2000-06 among the other periods which implied that in aggregate sense the maize production in this period was most cost effective. The lagged area, lagged price, price risk and expected yield variables were highly significant in Bangladesh supply response model. The price elasticity of maize was 0.245 which is inelastic. Maize has a great potential in Bangladesh. For sustaining its production, some important measures include introduction of hybrid seed and improved production technology, development of maize-based cropping pattern and industry, providing training, following crop rotation, maintaining reasonable harvest price, supplying agricultural credit, diversified uses. The main constraints for winter maize production were high price of good quality seed and TSP as well as lack of capital and proper knowledge, while lack of space for maize drying and knowledge as well as heavy and continuous rainfall were for summer maize.