Profitability and Yield Gap Analysis of Binasoybean-3 in Some Selected Areas of Bangladesh

Soybean is an important oil crop in Bangladesh to ensure high returns and self-sufficiency in oilseed production. This study aimed to estimate yield gap, cost and return, factors and constraints identification. The study was conducted in three major Binasoybean-3 growing areas of Bangladesh, namely Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Barishal. The estimated yield gap I was 0.17 t ha-1 (6.97%) and yield gap II was 0.22 t ha-1 (9.97%). The lowest total yield gap was 0.33 t ha-1 (13.60%) observed in Lakshmipur and it was the highest 0.50 t ha-1 (21.05%) in Noakhali district. The average yield gap was 0.39 t ha-1 (16.95%). The coefficients for Seed, MoP and Human labor were positively significant at 1% level. On the other hand, numbers of power tiller, urea and pesticide costs were found to be positively significant at 5% level. TSP and Gypsum were found to be positively significant at 10% level. The total cost of production in the field level of Binasoybean-3 was in Tk. 54247.06 ha-1, where 33.36% was fixed costs and 66.64% was variable cost. The highest cost at the farm level was in Barisal (Tk. 54668.40 ha-1) followed by Noakhali and Lakshmipur in Tk. 54253.22 and Tk. 53819.57 ha-1, respectively. The major shares of the total cost were human labor, power tiller, fertilizer, seed and power tiller. The highest net return (Tk. 39524.69 ha-1) comes from Lakshmipur district and the lowest net return (Tk. 22720.17 ha-1) comes from Barishal district. The undiscounted Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) was 1.73, 1.66 and 1.42 for Binasoybean-3 at the field level for Lakshmipur, Noakhali and Barishal, respectively. The average Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) was 1.60. Farmers of Binasoybean-3 growing areas faced various constraints to their cultivation non-availability of quality seed at proper time (49.70%), lack of knowledge about improved technology (48.77%), lack of soil moisture during sowing time (45.44%), disease and pest infestation (40.05%), lack of credit facilities (33.66%) and the insufficient or high price of labor in harvesting time (43.11%). Binasoybean-3 production in the study areas was profitable and farmers received a higher return on their investment.