Rationality of the eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) farmer from the point of view of production costs in the Caribbean Region of Colombia

Abstract

Among the vegetables that are grown in the Caribbean Region, especially in the Sinú Valley and the Savannah Region, the eggplant has reached high levels of adaptation and is widely accepted in the diet of the inhabitants. However, its importance, there is no study on the economic efficiency of the production system. The objective of this work was to determine the technical efficiency of the crop by means of an analysis of the cost of production in the three basic elements that compose it, such as: labor, inputs, and services. With data obtained from a survey applied to 62 farmers selected by the simple sampling method, the information was analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and the formulation of a Cobb Douglas-type econometric model that raises a functional relationship between the quantities of product and the factors involved in production. The results show that an increase in the use of inputs causes the greatest increase in the total cost, for its part the labor force in the smallest proportion and, lastly, services have the least impact on the increase in costs. It is concluded that there is inefficiency in the use of the production factors of 52% because of the difference between the real costs and the potential costs, that no matter how hard the producer tries to use the resources well, he incurs additional costs of the order of $ 3,123,383 COP per hectare.