Thesis (BS Agribusiness Economics) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, May 2019

Vegetables farmers in the Philippines are challenged by constraints specific not only in production but also in marketing due to their lack of market information. This study measured the technical efficiency of vegetable production of the farmer-beneficiaries of the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) across the marketing methods. These marketing methods practiced by farmers are individual, cluster, or mixed marketing. Data Envelopment Analysis was used to measure the technical efficiency of farmers while Tobit regression analysis determined the factors affecting technical efficiency. Results showed that mixed marketing is the most profitable and most efficient. This just shows that farmers are still not familiar with the idea of clustering as means of farming and marketing, thus farmers adopted two methods in order to not take any risks in the salability of their vegetables. The factors identified that significantly affect the efficiency of vegetables production are: gender, land preparation practice, labor, nutrient management practice, marketing place, assistances received, marketing method, regular source of water, cropping season practice, pest and disease management, and assistance received, marketing method, regular source of water, cropping season practice, pest and disease management, and assistance received. Therefore, in order to become a technically efficient vegetables producer, accessibility to inputs, practices, and technology should be available to become more efficient, more productive, and more profitable.