72 



Economic Implications 



Economic evaluation of four cropping patterns based on costs 

 and retiurns analysis indicated that resource use, income, and returns 

 to production inputs were influenced by management level associated 

 with crop grouping and levels of component technology within each group. 

 Although levels of component technology such as fertilizer management 

 did not cause significant differences in marketable yields, resource 

 use in teniis of production costs and rates of return to production 

 inputs for cropping patterns were affected by fertilizer levels. This 

 implies that insignificant difference in agronomic yields may sometimes 

 be misinterpreted in economic terms, especially when the grower bases 

 production decisions on economic criteria. 



Cropping patterns involving HM vegetable crops are highly pro- 

 ductive and profitable but may not be more efficient in terms of resource 

 use and rates of return to production inputs thaji cropping patterns 

 involving LM and a combination of HK, MM, and LM vegetable crops. This 

 was shown by high total marketable yield and gross and net incomes, but 

 non-significant rates of return to fertilizer, cash, labor, and manage- 

 ment in cropping pattern HM-HM-HM. With increasing costs of production 

 inputs, vegetable growers with limited cash for purchasing these inputs 

 will have an advantage by planting either a sequence of LM or a combi- 

 nation of LM, MM, and HM crops for year-round cropping patterns. 

 GroT'iers who have available production resources can benefit more by 

 reducing levels of production inputs such as fertilizer if they grow a 

 sequence of HM vegetable crops. 



