Growers’ fertilizer application behavior and their willingness to pay for the fertilizer: a study in coconut triangle of Sri Lanka
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Abstract
Sri Lankan small−scale coconut growers do not have the proper habit of applying fertilizer for their coconut palms due to their norms, beliefs, and attitudes. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to identify the factors that determine growers’ fertilizer application, ranking them, and assess the growers’ willingness to pay for a 50 kg bag of adult palm mixture. The data were collected from 366 coconut growers in the main three coconut growing districts in Sri Lanka, and the stratified random sampling method was used. Statistics such as binary logistic regression, linear regression, Pearson correlation, and contingency valuation method were utilized to analyze the data. The results showed that three types of beliefs were contributed to the fertilizer application behavior: behavioral beliefs [yield increase (β = 0.335; p = 0.006), coconut palm grow vigorously (β = 0.182; p = 0.040), income increase (β = 0.029; p = 0.010), and gives sustainable yield over the years (β = 0.027; p = 0.000)], normative beliefs [Coconut Development Officer (β = 0.074; p = 0.003) and fertilizer shopkeeper (β = 0.003; p = 0.020)], and control beliefs [price of the fertilizer (β = 0.643; p = 0.006), technical knowledge on fertilizer (β = 0.204; p = 0.001), labor scarcity (β = 0.179; p = 0.020), and having no interest (β = 0.071; p = 0.007)]. Furthermore, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were also significantly affected the growers’ fertilizer application. The growers’ willingness to pay for a 50 kg bag of adult palm mixture was 1,672.08 LKR (1 USD = 195 LKR). Therefore, apart from the price of the fertilizer, policymakers should pay attention to the growers’ technical knowledge, the issue of labor scarcity, and different agricultural extension approaches.
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