The study was conducted in three coastal districts namely Barisal, Patuakhali and Noakhali during February to April 2010. Sadar and Babugonj Upazila from Barishal district, Sadar and Dumki Upazila from Patuakhali district and Sadar and Subarnachar Upazila from Noakhali district were purposively selected for the study. A complete mungbean growers list was collected with the help of DAE personnel. A total of 150 mungbean farmers taking 25 from each Upazila i.e. 50 from each district were randomly selected for interview. The crop season under the study was late Rabi (February-May), 2010. Necessary information was collected through survey method with the help of a pre-tested interview schedule by field investigators in collaboration with DAE field staffs under direct supervision of the researchers. Collected data were edited, summarized, tabulated and analyzed to fulfill the objectives of the study. Tabular method of analysis using different statistical tools like averages, percentages and ratios were used in presenting the results of the study. The profitability of mungbean production was examined on the basis of gross margin and benefit cost analysis. The opportunity cost of family supplied labour was taken into consideration in estimating total cost. In calculating gross margin, all operating costs were considered as variable cost. The improved mungbean cultivating farmers were classified into three categories for determining the adoption level of technologies in terms of agronomic practices, time of operation and input use. The categories were developed based on the mean index of the farmer with respect to each technology. A higher index indicates a higher level of adoption, while a lower index indicates a lower level of adoption of a technology. Adoption level was categorized for mean index>100 as over use: (70-100) as high, (50-69) as medium and <50 as low.
Analytical Model: Multiple regression model was used to identify the factors influencing the area allocation for mungbean cultivation. The area allocation for mungbean is likely to be influenced by different factors such as education, experience, training, organizational membership, relation with different media, and mungbean suitable area etc. The functional form of the multiple regression equation was as follows:
Y = b0 + b1x1 + b2 x2 + b3x3 + b4x4 + b5 x5 + b6x6 + ui
Where,
Y = Area allocation for mungbean (decimal)
X1 = Education (Year of schooling)
X2 = Experience in farming (years)
X3= Training (if yes=1, Otherwise=0)
X4 = Organization membership (if yes=1, Otherwise=0)
X5 = Media contact (Score)
X6 = Suitable mungbean area (decimal)
b1, b2...................... b6 = Co-efficient of the relevant variables and
Ui= disturbance term / error term.
Comments: Duration of the experiment under start and end boxes is quite different from that one reported in methodology. Needs to be checked.