Determinants of sugarcane yield in agrarian reform communities in Negros Occidental, Philippines

Abstract

Seventeen variables that significantly affected sugarcane yields in the farms of 304 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in Negros Occidental, Philippines were identified. The seven variables found to significantly affect sugarcane yields were amount of N applied, irrigation, row spacing, the practice of chopping cane stalks, number of ratoons, beneficiary's age, and farm size. Financial limitations prompted the ARBs to apply inadequate amount of fertilizer and adopt suboptimal land preparation practices, narrow furrow spacing, and improper harvesting and hauling of canes. The ARBs chopped sugarcane stalks to increase the hauling capacity of their trucks. Financial constraints also forced them to increase the number of ratoon crops as a cost-saving measure. Now that the ARBs are farm owners, the older ARBs obtained higher yields on their farms compared with younger ARBs, showing that they were capable of resolving the financial and managerial problems they encountered when they were mere farm workers. Farm size positively influenced cane yield, suggesting that the mechanics of land transfer affected productivity.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Agricultural Scientist

ISSN

317454

Page

114-121

Document Type

Article

Subject

Determinants, Irrigation, Productivity, Ratoon, Row spacing, Sugarcane, Trash farming

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