Comparative profitability of small-scale rice and horticultural farming in South Konawe District of Southeast Sulawesi

Abstract

Shortages in the national rice supply are attributable to several factors, one of which is crop shift from rice to other crops. This study aimed to find out the amount of net returns from rice farming and horticultural farming which could be one of the reasons for crop shifting. The respondents were former rice farmers who had left rice farming and now grown melon, watermelon, or chili. Data were analysed using cost and returns analysis and paired sample t-test. The results showed that the average net returns of rice farming per farm were IDR29,667,325/year, and the average net returns per hectare were IDR21,181,531/year. For horticultural farming, the average net returns were IDR49,309,679/farm/year or IDR122,172,194/ha/year. Net returns from horticultural production were significantly higher than that from rice production. Such a significant difference in the net returns might be one reason for the crop shifting from rice farming to horticultural farming. Horticultural production provides high income to the farmers and supports local economic growth, but abandoning rice fields in the long run may not be in line with the promotion of food security both at the local and national level.