The study was conducted in Bogra and Satkhira districts to assess the socioeconomic status, profitability, problems and prospects of sunflower cultivation in Bangladesh. A total of 100 sunflower cultivating farmers, taking 50 farmers from each district, were randomly selected for this study. About 18% female farmers were also found to cultivate sunflower due to its beauty and easy cultivation method. Majority of the farmers had only one year experience of sunflower cultivation. Per hectare cost of producing sunflower was estimated as Tk. 62,199. Per hectare net return and BCR were Tk. 10,863 and 1.18, respectively which indicated that sunflower cultivation was profitable. Stochastic frontier function revealed that the use of labour, seed, organic fertilizers, cost of irrigation, and land type had positive and significant effect on the yield of sunflower. Average technical efficiency of the farmers was 86% which implies that there is a scope of increasing productivity of sunflower by 14% using current level of inputs by increasing the farmers’ efficiency. Lack of irrigation facility, scarcity of seed on time, absence of sunflower oil mill and sunflower market, low demand for sunflower, high cost of seed, etc. were the major problems of sunflower production and marketing. In spite of having some problems 18% female farmers became interested to cultivate and 46% farmers of Satkhira district mentioned that their demand for edible oil is becoming fulfil. So there is great potentiality of sunflower cultivation in Bangladesh. The availability of sunflower seed with low cost and establishment of sunflower oil mill is needed to sustain this crop in Bangladesh. Therefore, import dependency on soybean oil will be reduced.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 41(4): 599-623, December 2016

Mungbean is one of the most important pulse crops in Bangladesh. The demand of mungbean is very high due to its good taste. To date, different national institutes released 14 improve mungbean varieties with complete package of technologies and disseminated them to the farmers. But, the farm level adoption of mungbean varieties, their economics, and farmer’s efficiencies are not well known to the researchers and policy planners. Therefore, the study assessed the farm level adoption of mungbean technologies, technical efficiency of mungbean growers, and find out constraints to its higher production. Data were collected from 283 randomly selected mungbean farmers from Jessore, Kushtia, and Barisal districts during March-April 2009. The highly adopted mungbean varieties were BARI Mung-3, 4 and 5. Technologies, such as ploughing, weeding, and seed rate occupied higher level of adoption. Sowing time and insect-pest control were medium level and irrigation was lower level adoption. In case of chemical fertilizer, urea secured higher level of adoption followed by TSP and MoP. The yield and net return of mungbean was 1196 kg and Tk. 15678 per hectare, respectively. The benefit cost ratio was 1.69 and 2.47 on full cost and cash cost basis, respectively. About 67% farmers achieved more than 90% technical efficiency level. Twenty eight percent farmers’ technical efficiency level, between 81-90% and the rest 5% farmers’ technical efficiency level was less than 80%. Diseases and pest infestation, lack of good quality seed, lack of knowledge about improved technologies were the major constraints to mungbean cultivation. Government should provide hand-on training and distribute quality seed to the farmers for increasing the area of mungbean cultivation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v39i1.20149 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 39(1): 113-125, March 2014

Mungbean is a popular and widely grown pulse in Bangladesh. Coastal farmers are cultivating BARI-Mung varieties, but many farmers are still reluctant to adopt these improved varieties that need to be identified. Therefore, the study was conducted in three mungbean growing coastal districts, namely Barisal, Patuakhali, and Noakhali of Bangladesh during 2010-2011 to assess the extent of technology adoption and constraints to BARI-Mungbean production. The study focused the level of technology adoption in terms of variety use, input use and agronomic practices. The study revealed that farmers followed the recommended practices which were very encouraging. All the farmers adopted improved mungben varieties of which 51% farmers adopted BARI Mung-5 variety. The level of adoption of seed rate, use of urea, and MoP was found to be high. The level of adoption of agronomic practices like ploughing, sowing time, weeding and insecticides use were also found to be high. The farmers were mostly influenced by DAE personnel and neighboring farmers in adopting improved mungbean technology. Multiple regression revealed that experience, training, organizational membership, relation with different media, and mungbean suitable area had positive and significant influence in increasing the area under mungbean cultivation. Most farmers showed positive attitude towards improved mungbean cultivation of which 67% farmers wanted to increase its cultivation in the next year. The major constraints to improved mungbean production were high price of insecticides, lack of labour and disease and insect infestation. Farmers required improved mungbean seeds and production technology which may increase the yield and income of the farmers. Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 38(1): 85-96, March 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v38i1.15193

Potato is one of the important food crops in Bangladesh. Its demand is increasing day by day. The Tuber Crop Research Centre (TCRC) of BARI released 40 HYV potato varieties and disseminated them in the farmer's fields through different agencies. But most varieties were not adopted well by the farmers due to unknown reasons. Therefore, an attempt was made to assess the level of adoption and profitability of BARI released potato variety at farm level. Data were collected from 150 randomly selected potato farmers from Munshigonj, Bogra and Comilla districts during January-February 2010. The results indicated that 48% potato areas were covered by Diamant variety, 16% by Cardinal, 22% by Granola, and the rest 14% areas were covered by Binella, Asterix, Provento, Felsina, Multa and Hira. The cost of BARI released potato cultivation was Tk 2, 10,629 and Tk 1, 84,135 per hectare on full cost and variable cost basis. The major share of total cost was for seed (42%) followed by fertilizer (21%) and human labour (14%). The average yield of potato was 26 t/ha with gross margin of Tk 1, 51,003 per hectare. The net return of potato cultivation was Tk 1, 24,509 per hectare. The benefit cost ratios were 1.59 and 1.82 on full cost and variable cost basis. Human labour, land preparation, seed, and irrigation had positive and significant effect on potato production. Nonavailability of HYV seed at proper time, lack of technical knowledge, high price of seed and fertilizer, infestation of insect and diseases, and lack of storage facilities were the major problems of potato production.

The study was conducted at Barisal and Jhalokati districts during 2007 to estimate the profitability and resource use efficiency of rnungbean production. The study was confined to randomly selected 100 mungbean farmers. It revealed that mungbean production is profitable to the farmers. The productivity of munghean at farm level was 928 kg/ha, which vas higher than national average of 680 kg/ha. Mungbean farmers received Tk. 24236 as gross margin per hectare. The net benefit received per kilogram of mungbean was Tk. 26.45. Benefit cost ratios were estimated at 2.53 and 3.56 on variable and cash cost basis. Functional analysis showed that human labour, urea and insecticides had positive significant contribution to mungbean cultivation. Mungbean farmers encountered various problems like untimely rainfall, lack of quality seed and disease and insect infestation, and needs immediate attention to reduce these problems.