CONSTRAINTS TO EXPANSION OF COWPEA AND MUNGBEAN UNDER RAIN-FED FARMING IN ANURADHAPURA DISTRICT

Cowpea and mungbean extents in Sri Lanka have declined over the last decade. This study analyzes the reasons for these declining trends under rain-fed farming, estimating the adoption percentages, preferences for variety attributes, profitability, and production functions. Primary data relevant to 2008/09 maha season were collected from random samples of 40 cowpea and 33 mungbean farmers of Anuradhapura district. The per hectare and per farm profitability estimates including (excluding) imputed cost of family labour were Rs 21,662 (Rs 81,423) and Rs. 3,682 (Rs. 14,420), respectively, for cowpea and Rs. -16,289 (Rs. 43,612) and Rs. -1,648 (Rs. 4,242), respectively, for mungbean. The share of family labour in total cost is 89% for cowpea and 76% for mungbean. The variety adoption rate was 38% for ‘Bombay’ cowpea, 33% for ‘Arlington’ cowpea, and 49% for ‘MI 6’ Mungbean. Largeness of seed, glossiness of seed coat, and indeterminate growth patterns are the variety attributes preferred by farmers of both cowpea, and mungbean. The production function estimates showed that cowpea varieties ‘Bombay’ and ‘Arlington’ significantly outperform (p<0.05) ‘Dhawala’, whereas mungbean varieties ‘MI 06’ and ‘MI 05’ significantly outperform (p<0.05) the local varieties. Family labour constraint is a critical determinant in deciding farm size of both crops.