Organic vs. conventional rice production: comparative assessment under farmers’ condition in Bhutan

Abstract

A study was conducted to compare organic and conventional rice production within and between three agro-ecological zones (AEZ) under farmers’ management in Bhutan. Soil properties, rice grain yield and benefit-cost return (BCR) were compared between two production systems in 2012 and 2013. Total nitrogen (N) was significantly higher in the organic farm in 2013. Soil organic matter (OM) and available phosphorus (P) were the only soil parameters that were consistently and significantly higher in the organic farm in both years. In the mid AEZ, available P was significantly higher in the organic farm in both years. In the low AEZ, the total N was significantly higher in conventional farm in 2013. In all three AEZs, there was no statistically significant difference in grain yields between organic and conventional rice farms. However, the grain yield was highest in high AEZ and lowest in low AEZ for both the systems.The costs of plant protection inputs were significantly higher in conventional farm, and cost of manure application and weeding was significantly higher in organic farm. The gross returns from a hectare land did not differ significantly between organic and conventional farms but the production cost from a hectare land was significantly higher in organic farm. The BCR was significantly higher in conventional farm. It is interesting to note that the overall yields did not differ between two systems; thus, at the present selling price of Nu. 60 per kg for both organic and conventional rice, the gross returns are same for both the systems. The study suggests that, with the present management conditions and without considering premium price of organic rice, the conventional rice production is more profitable than organic system in Bhutan. However, if organic rice fetches premium price, then the BCR of organic system may become similar to or higher than conventional system.