COMPARATIVE ECONOMICS OF TOMATO PRODUCTION UNDER OPEN FIELD AND
POLYHOUSE CONDITIONS IN PALPA DISTRICT, NEPAL

Author:
Tomato, Open Field, Polyhouse,BCR

Doi: 10.26480/amdn.01.2024.50.57

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

A study was conducted in 2023 to compare the economics of tomato production under open field and polyhouse conditions in Tansen municipality and Bagnaskali rural municipality of Palpa district. Altogether 100 farmers were included in the survey research using a simple random sampling technique, 50 from each tomato production system. Statistical tools like descriptive analysis, means comparison, and benefit-cost analysis were used to derive conclusions from the raw data obtained from the household survey. The study revealed the average age of household heads was 47.04 years and 41.82 years, with economically active members of 2.20 and 2.14 in the family of open field and polyhouse system adopting farmers respectively.Most farmers (58% of open field and 48% of polyhouse) from both production systems had studied up to the primary level. Brahmins, Chhetris, and Janajatis were major ethnic groups engaged in tomato production in both systems. Open-field growers had 17.38 years of experience in tomato production whereas polyhouse growers had 4.96 years of experience. The average tomato cultivation area was 3.18 ropani (1 hectare = 19.66 ropani) for open fields and 0.39 ropani (1 hectare = 19.66 ropani) for polyhouse growers. The most preferred variety in both production systems was Srijana. The study’s overall findings reveal that the total variable cost of tomato production per ropani under polyhouse conditions was NRs. 62,627.92, which was 52.43% higher compared to tomato production in open field condition. The total variable cost was NRs. 29,788.45 for tomato production in open field condition. The fixed cost incurred per ropani was NRs. 24,457.25 in polyhouse condition and NRs. 2,642.98 in open field condition. It was also 89.19% higher in the polyhouse system compared to the open field condition. The total cost of tomato production per ropani was 62.76% higher in polyhouse condition. The total cost of tomato production was NRs. 87,085.16 in polyhouse whereas it was just NRs. 32,431.43 in open field condition. The tomato production per ropani in polyhouse condition was 4728.52 kg which was 59.85% higher compared to tomato production in open field condition which was 1898.40 kg. The gross revenue, gross margin, and net profit generated from tomato production per ropani in polyhouse condition (NRs. 199898.70, NRs. 137270.79 and NRs. 112813.54 ) were 70.36%, 78.53% and 76.2% higher compared to gross revenue, gross margin and net profit generated in open field condition(NRs.59258.10, NRs. 29469.55 and NRs. 26826.57). The Benefit-Cost ratio (BCR) was higher in polyhouse tomato production (2.30) compared to open-field tomato production (1.83). Only 60% of open-field tomato producers had received subsidies, which was less compared to 88% in the case of polyhouse tomato producers. The majority of open-field tomato growers (54%) had medium satisfaction with the market price of tomatoes followed by low satisfaction (26%) while the majority of polyhouse tomato growers (68%) had medium satisfaction with the market price of tomatoes followed by high satisfaction (16%). Diseases and pests were the major production problems faced by the farmers of both tomato production systems. The study revealed that tomato production in polyhouse condition is more profitable than in open field condition
in the study area.

Pages 50-57
Year 2024
Issue 1
Volume 2