Comparative Study of IPM Technologies and Farmers’ Conventional Pest Management Practices on Cabbage Cultivation

The present study was constructed in Comilla, Jesore and Lalmonirhat districts during 2002-03 to determine and compare the relative profitability of IPM technologies over farmers’ existing pest management practices. A total of 300 farmers were purposively selected taking 100 from each district. The current practice of farmers is to use higher amount of inputs including insecticides and these resulted in higher costs but lower yields and returns compared to the IPM technologies. It was found that the use of labor and insecticides cost were saved in the experimental plots since the spraying was not allowed there. The use of IPM technologies was found economically beneficial for the farmers with respect to gross margins, benefit cost ratios (1.35 to 4.39), return to labor and return to irrigation per Taka invested. The most important constraints to IPM technologies were non-availability of poultry refuse in required quantity, lack of quality seeds and high price of mustard oilcake and fertilizers and insecticides and lack of knowledge of improved technologies for vegetables production. However, the farmers in the study areas were very enthusiastic about the IPM technologies for vegetables. For successful and effective dissemination of IPM technologies, the demonstration trials, field days, training of farmers and extension workers and distribution of leaflets and mass campaign for IPM technologies are useful tools to be followed.