Technical Efficiency Analysis of Rice Production in Pakistan under Dry and Puddle Conditions: A Case Study of Selected Districts of Punjab province, Pakistan

In Pakistan, two methods mainly using for the transplanting of rice paddle (Conventional method) and Direct seeded method (Dry method) in rice growing areas of Punjab. In last some years, the direct seeded rice system is introduced in some of the rice cropping districts of Pakistan. The current research estimate the technical efficiency of conventional and dry rice farmers and also determine the factors which significantly contribute to increase the rice output. Moreover, this study estimated the sources of inefficiency. Data collected from 300 sample rice farmers into the Kharif cycle (2013-14) at five main rice growing districts of Punjab namely: Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Jhang, Vehari, and Gujranwala. Stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) was applied to find the results of a study. Study results reveal that direct seeding method is more profitable for dry rice farmers in terms of yield and also increases the efficiency of farmers. Area under rice crop, NPK ratio, Seed, number of irrigation hour, weedicides, insecticides and pesticide variable would significantly contributes to improve the rice production. On average technical efficiency of sample rice farmers is 86 percent, which indicates that rice farmers in selected areas can increase the production of rice 14 percent only by managing efficiency level, without increasing input quantities. Hence, it is possible for rice farmers to increase rice output without increasing the level of inputs by using efficient management practices.