Abstract
The first part of the study is concerned with actual farmers' economic situation based on farm household economy survey data in delta region in 1972-73. It shows relatively heavy weights of expenditures (including costs of farming and non-farming businesses, and costs of living) in gross revenue (Table 5). Thus it seems to be rather difficult for individual farmers to save money for buying new equipments and machines. By divided net farm revenue (or income) per ha into two parts as labor efficiency (net farm revenue per labor force) and capacity of labor forces to land (labor forces per ha), the data of sample provinces in the Delta (Dinh Tuong, Vinh Long, and An Giang) result in different pattern of distribution combining net farm revenue to efficiency and capacity factors (Figures 6 and 7).
Surveys of rice production cost indicate differences in cost structure and profitabilities of rice production for high-yielding varieties and local varieties including traditional floating rice. For the high-yielding varieties, fairly intensive labor requirements and increased demands for other input like fertilizers and chemicals are considered as important.
The last part of the study deals with several problems which farmers face on farming. Among problems which farmers pointed out, water control in the wet season and irrigation in the dry season are serious problems. Price increasing tendency of fertilizers and chemicals (insecticides, pesticides, weedicides, etc.) are another crucial problems. Besides, the study describes other kinds of necessary information for farming and sources of information when farmers want to get them.
