Unveiling the Factors Influencing Organic Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Production: An Empirical Evidence from the Mymensingh District of Bangladesh

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables, and faces a demand-supply gap, prompting the need for enhanced production. As global agriculture shifts towards organic practices, this study was undertaken to explore the socioeconomic status of organic tomato producers, assess the factors impacting organic tomato production, and identify the production related constraints. Following the simple random sampling method, a total of 60 organic tomato producers were selected from two villages in Gouripur Upazila under the Mymensingh district and they were interviewed using a structured interview schedule. The research reveals that the majority of farmers were within the productive age range of 36-50 years, with male dominance in the field. Family sizes were diverse, with medium-sized families being the most prevalent. A substantial proportion of farmers possess secondary-level education. Experience in organic tomato farming ranges from 5 to over 15 years, indicating a diverse level of expertise. The Cobb-Douglas revenue type production function was used to determine the effect of selected inputs on organic tomato production. The findings of production function analysis revealed that costs related to human labor, seed, organic fertilizer, bio-pesticides, and land use positively impact organic tomato production. The study also identified major problems faced by farmers in organic tomato production in which high disease and pest attacks were the most significant problems in the study area. Therefore this study will be helpful for farmers to increase organic tomato production and relevant policymakers to support organic tomato producers and further promote sustainable agriculture in this region.