Resource Use Efficiency Analysis for the Cucumber Production in the Bishnupur District of Manipur and Sepahijala District of Tripura, India

Abstract

Vegetable crops offer high yields, better profits, and job opportunities, making diversified agriculture successful in the northeastern region. Cucumbers are a popular and in-demand crop, especially among small and marginal farmers due to low cultivable land. The research study's conclusions regarding the cultivation and marketing of cucumbers in the Northeastern states of Tripura and Manipur are emphasized in this article. Data was collected from 80 respondents by adopting random sampling in 2022–2023. The study used a production function approach to analyse the efficiency of various input resources in cucumber production. The Cobb Douglas production function was used for Manipur and Tripura farms to fit the analysis. Factors affecting crop yield were identified, such as seeds, fertilizer, plant protection chemicals, human labor charges, and organic manure. The results showed that the unadjusted coefficient of multiple determinations (Ṝ2) was 0.62 and 0.58, respectively, which explained 62 and 58% of the variation in output. The remaining 38 and 42% variation in total output was explained by factors not included in the model. In Manipur, all coefficients of seed, plant protection chemical, and organic manure were positively significant at a 1% level of significance. In Tripura, all coefficients of fertilizer, human labor, and organic manure were positively significant at a 1% level of significance and also examined the relationship between the average value productivity of a resource with the factor's cost about resource use efficiency in cucumber production. The optimal resource use efficiency of a particular input occurs when the marginal value product (MVP) and marginal factor cost (MFC) are equal, or when MVP/MFC=1. The calculated values of the ratio of marginal value product to marginal factor cost were less than unity except for fertilizer in Tripura, indicating that seed, fertilizer, PPC, and organic manure in Manipur are overutilized, and fertilizers in Tripura are underutilized.