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