Yield and Profitability Comparisons of Modern Agricultural Production Technologies Adoption: Evidence From Cotton-wheat Punjab (Pakistan)

Abstract

Based on the survey data, the study has made yield and profitability comparisons in the contexts of modern agricultural production technologies adopted by the cotton growers of district Bahawalpur. The extent of modern agricultural production technologies adoption was gauged through constructing a modern farming index (MFI). Based on the points scored regarding MFI, the cotton growers were classified into five categories. By applying independent samples t-test, the comparisons of means were made between technologies adopters and non-adopters with respect to per acre yield, cost of production, gross income, and profit earned. On an average, in comparison with the non-adopters, the categories of good adopters and exceptional were obtaining respectively, 17% and 22% higher per acre yield and in the same order, 19% and 27% higher per acre profit. On an average, in comparison with the cotton growers without land laser levelling, those having land laser levelled were obtaining 11% higher per acre yield and 10.6% higher per acre profit. Likewise, in comparison with the cotton growers applying pesticides manually, those applying pesticides through boom sprayer were obtaining about 17% higher per acre yield and 18.2% higher per acre profit. The study concludes that technology adoption in agriculture is pivotal to productivity, production, and profitability outcomes at farm level, hence at national level.