Production and Profitability Intervention of Summer Hybrid Tomato: A Farm Level Review in Bangladesh

Abstract

Now a days, tomato production in Bangladesh is increasing. But land area for tomato cultivation is not increased. Due to the adoption of the new High Yield Variety (HIV) and hybrid tomato total production is increased. Farmers are willing to produce off-season or summer tomatoes because of their high price. Production of tomatoes is profitable by considering cost and benefit. Summer tomato and hybrid tomato cultivation both are more highly profitable than seasonal tomato production. A large part of tomato farmers is small farmers. They have a small piece of land and most of them are illiterate or have only primary education. The majority of farmers (46%) are young in age. By producing tomato farmer improve their standard of living. The benefit-cost ratio of hybrid tomato production is 4.22 and 4.16 on basis of the full cost, 5.17 and 5.01 on basis of cash cost for the small and medium farmers. Cost per kg. 10.86 tk. and 11.01 tk., return per kg. 45.84 tk. and 45.82 tk. for the small and medium farmers. The total cost of tomato production for the small, medium, and large farmers is tk. 496830, tk. 213660 and tk. 399117 respectively. Total revenue tk. 915600, tk. 393750 and tk. 735525 for small, medium, and large farmers respectively. At the time of tomato production, farmers face many problems like timely availability of fertilizer, insects, disease, the lack of proper marketing channels, etc. With the introduction of the modern variety, farmers are interested in tomato production because tomato is a short-duration and profitable vegetable.