This study employed a Cobb-Douglas stochastic production frontier function to estimate the level of technical efficiency. The results of the analysis showed that cropping season of mango growers have been round year. Difference of the study compared to past researches related to tropical fruits analyzed efficiency of three seasons instead of only focusing on efficiecy of one seasson or total a year. The findings revealed that season 3 ranked first in terms of technical efficiency (58.2%), follwed by season 1 (53.6%) and then season 2 (49.2%). Moreover, the input variables that explained technical efficiency were were fertilizer (root), fertilizer (leaf) and labor in season 1; pesticide, fertilizer (leaf) and labor in seaon 2; and pesticide, fertilizer (root), fertilizer (leaf) and labor in in season 3. In addition, major determinants of socioeconomic characteristics influenced positively on technical efficiency were were plant density and land area in season 1 and season 3; market access, plant density and land area in season 2. Likewise, the constraints to mango production were wrapping bag and classifying sale in season 2, and age and wrapping bag in season 3. KEY WORDS: Technical efficiecny, Cobb-Douglas, mango, Mekong Delta

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The paper employed a Cobb-Douglas and translog of stochastic frontier profit function to measure the level of economic efficiency and its determinants. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 1,889 of sampling observations (591 for season 1, 678 for season 2, and 620 for season 3) randomly selected from designated locations in the study area. Difference of the study compared to past researches related to tropical fruits analyzed efficiency of three seasons instead of only focusing on efficiency of one season or total a year. The study established a mean economic efficiency of 26.19% in season 1, 27.15% in season 2, and 24.62% in season 3. The paper found out positive determinants of economic efficiency were farming experience, wrapping bag, market access among three seasons; education in season 1 and plant density in season 1 and 2. By contrast, the constraints to profit of mango producers were age, and payment for agro-input wholesale on ending of season in three seasons; credit access and classifying sale in first and second seasons; education in second and third seasons; plant density in season 3. Based on these findings, policy makers should focus on effective inputs models that would boost profit efficiency through conducting regular workshops and orchard demonstrations on using input materials effectively. More so, farmers should design mango gardens with appropriate trees density as well as encourage gardeners to use bags for wrapping mango fruits in farming in order to increase economic efficiency.

This study employed a Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier profit function to measure the level of economic efficiency and its determinants. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 382 sample observations (118, 130, and 134 observations for seasons 1, 2, and 3, respectively). The research estimated a mean economic efficiency of 28.65%, 19.65%, and 28.00% in seasons 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The study found out the credit access variable to be positively and significantly influencing on economic efficiency in all three seasons. Besides, the results of the analysis indicated that the root fertiliser price and the land area were important factors in season 1 at the 1% significance level. In season 2, the price of fungicide, root fertiliser, leaf fertiliser influenced substantially on mango farmers , profit at the conventional significance levels. In season 3, the leaf fertiliser price, labour price and land area played a major role in economic efficiency.