Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 22 ISSUE 1
Written by Le Canh DUNG, Vo Van TUAN, Nguyen Thi Kim THOA

This study aims at evaluating the technical efficiency and resource use efficiency in rice production in the Mekong Delta. This study used a parametric estimation method through the stochastic frontier production function under the translog form, and was performed using software Frontier 4.1. The research data is the Winter-Spring season – one of the main crops in rice production in this region and in the 2017 – 2018 crop year. The results show that the technical efficiency is 91.5%; and a fraction of one quarter of households has still technical efficiency below 90%. Besides, the efficiency of using input resources is not optimal. Many types of materials such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides have been used in an excess of the necessary and recommended levels of the agricultural agency. The farm-size is not too large, but it is possible that because there are many farm plots, which also adversely affect the technical efficiency and the resource use efficiency. Positive factors that increase technical efficiency need to be focused on for replication such as educational level, production experience, participation in technical training classes, contract farming. This study is expected to have policy implications for rice production in the Mekong Delta in the near future.

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