The efficiency of shallot farming in the highlands and lowlands in Magetan Regency, East Java Province

Abstract

Shallots are suitable for farming in the lowlands, however farmers in Magetan Regency mostly plant shallots in the highlands. Shallots farming in the highlands to require special treatment in the production process to affect the use of production factors. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the production and efficiency of using production factors in shallot farming. Determination of the research location purposively considered Magetan Regency as a shallot farming area in both the highlands and lowlands. Twenty-five farmers in the highlands and 25 in the lowlands were selected using a simple random sampling method. The analysis technique employed the Cobb-Douglass production function. The efficiency of production factors was measured based on the comparison between the marginal value product and the input price. The results revealed that the production factors of liquid pesticides, labor, and adhesives significantly influenced the production of shallots in both the lowlands and highlands. The use of liquid pesticides was inefficient, and the workforce has not been efficient. Therefore, farmers should reduce liquid pesticides and increase the workforce to maximize profits from shallot farming.