Determination of Factors Affecting Pesticide Use Decision of Vegetable Farmers in Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela and Welimada Area
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Date
2011
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Uva Wellassa University of Srilanka
Abstract
Sri Lanka has an area of 6.4 million hectares in which the agricultural area comprising 2.3 million hectares, out of which 20% is located in the up country wet zone of Sri Lanka. Over 64% of the population of the area is engaged in agriculture. Potato and exotic vegetables are the predominant crops grown in this part of the country throughout the year. The agricultural practice in the upcountry area of Sri Lanka is intensive and highly commercialized (Wijewardena, 2010). Hence, up country vegetable farmers use large amounts of pesticides to control the pests on their vegetable crops and to maximize output on limited acres of land (Sivayoganathan et al., 1995). Pesticides play a significant role in the modern agriculture due to easiness of application and quick results. As a result, demand for pesticide has also increased. Similarly, number of agrochemical companies involves in marketing and distributing of pesticides and the companies follow several product promotion techniques to stimulate farmers to buy their pesticides. But, agrochemical companies have inadequate knowledge about the factors affecting the pesticide use decision of the farmers. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors affecting pesticide use decision of farmers. Knowledge on farmer's pesticide use decision is very important for the companies to select most appropriate promotion methods to stimulate the pesticide use decision.
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Keywords
Agriculture, Animal Science, Environmental Science