Volume 17, Issue 4, September 2016, Pages 1114–1119
M. Yaseer Suhaimi1, Adzemi Mat Arshad2, M. Nur Farah Hani3, and Norrizah Jaafar Sidek4
1 School of Food Science and Technology (PPSTM), University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
2 School of Food Science and Technology (PPSTM), University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
3 Food Technology Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, MARDI Serdang Headquarters, Persiaran MARDI-UPM, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
4 Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, University Technology MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Original language: English
Copyright © 2016 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Chilli, or Capsicum annum, is a high value cash crop. Cultivation of chilli had been done using the conventional method and fertigation system. There are two methods of fertigation system practiced in Malaysia, which are planting chilli under rain shelters and open fertigation and planting chilli without rain shelter. All three planting systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. This study was conducted to evaluate the costs and benefits of chilli cultivation using both the fertigation system and conventional methods. Data were obtained from the pilot project plot under MARDI and the Department of Agriculture. The cost-benefit analysis showed that the costs of production for chilli using both fertigation systems were RM1.19/kg (under the rain shelter) and RM1.56/kg (open fertigation), respectively, compared to RM2.03/kg using the conventional method. The net income per season per hectare for planting chilli using the fertigation system under rain shelter was RM105,654 and open fertigation was RM77,415, which were higher than the conventional method (RM55,900). The higher net income was due to the high yield of chilli, almost twofold per hectare, than the conventional method. The partial budget analysis also showed a higher benefit value than the implication value in the event of farmers switching from using conventional methods to chilli cultivation using both fertigation systems. Overall, chilli cultivation using fertigation technology is proven to improve chilli yield and has a high viability. The high cost or initial capital will be offset by the high production yield. This technology is also more environmentally friendly than the conventional methods and in accordance with the practice of sustainable agriculture development, besides conforming to the present national agriculture agenda.
Author Keywords: Chilli Cultivation, Fertigation Technology, Malaysia.
M. Yaseer Suhaimi1, Adzemi Mat Arshad2, M. Nur Farah Hani3, and Norrizah Jaafar Sidek4
1 School of Food Science and Technology (PPSTM), University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
2 School of Food Science and Technology (PPSTM), University Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
3 Food Technology Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, MARDI Serdang Headquarters, Persiaran MARDI-UPM, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
4 Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, University Technology MARA (UiTM), 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Original language: English
Copyright © 2016 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Chilli, or Capsicum annum, is a high value cash crop. Cultivation of chilli had been done using the conventional method and fertigation system. There are two methods of fertigation system practiced in Malaysia, which are planting chilli under rain shelters and open fertigation and planting chilli without rain shelter. All three planting systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. This study was conducted to evaluate the costs and benefits of chilli cultivation using both the fertigation system and conventional methods. Data were obtained from the pilot project plot under MARDI and the Department of Agriculture. The cost-benefit analysis showed that the costs of production for chilli using both fertigation systems were RM1.19/kg (under the rain shelter) and RM1.56/kg (open fertigation), respectively, compared to RM2.03/kg using the conventional method. The net income per season per hectare for planting chilli using the fertigation system under rain shelter was RM105,654 and open fertigation was RM77,415, which were higher than the conventional method (RM55,900). The higher net income was due to the high yield of chilli, almost twofold per hectare, than the conventional method. The partial budget analysis also showed a higher benefit value than the implication value in the event of farmers switching from using conventional methods to chilli cultivation using both fertigation systems. Overall, chilli cultivation using fertigation technology is proven to improve chilli yield and has a high viability. The high cost or initial capital will be offset by the high production yield. This technology is also more environmentally friendly than the conventional methods and in accordance with the practice of sustainable agriculture development, besides conforming to the present national agriculture agenda.
Author Keywords: Chilli Cultivation, Fertigation Technology, Malaysia.
How to Cite this Article
M. Yaseer Suhaimi, Adzemi Mat Arshad, M. Nur Farah Hani, and Norrizah Jaafar Sidek, “Potential and Viability of Chilli Cultivation Using Fertigation Technology in Malaysia,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 1114–1119, September 2016.
