Economic analysis of banana production costs in the La Maná canton: a study of the main inputs and expenses of the agricultural process

Abstract

In the agricultural sector, greater emphasis is generally given to production, that is, to the operational part, neglecting what is related to the estimation of the disbursements generated, in view of this situation the study aimed to analyze the production costs of banana cultivation in the canton of La Maná, identifying the main inputs and expenditures that determine the economic profitability of farmers. Methodologically, the study was characterized by a mixed approach, with descriptive and applied research, with a non-experimental design; 153 producers were surveyed and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was applied to validate the instruments, obtaining a value of 0.887 that guarantees the reliability of the data. The results show that the cost structure reaches a total of 13,121.09 dollars per hectare per year, labor is the largest item with 7,535.00 dollars, concentrated in the maintenance and harvesting stages, followed by indirect costs and raw materials. Annual income amounts to $21,600, derived from the sale of 30 boxes per week at $15.00 each, establishing a unit cost of $9.11 per box; It is concluded that the activity is profitable, although with tight margins.