Resource Use Efficiency in Cotton Cultivation in Punjab, Pakistan: Implications for Sustainable Production and Agricultural Extension

Abstract

Cotton is a strategically important crop in Pakistan because it supplies raw material to the textile industry and supports rural livelihoods. Improving cotton productivity and profitability requires efficient allocation of land, seed, fertilizer, irrigation water, and crop-protection resources. This study examines resource-use efficiency among 535 cotton growers in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, and Khanewal districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Primary data were collected during the 2021 growing season through a multistage sampling procedure. A log-linear Cobb–Douglas production function was used to examine the relationship between cotton yield and selected farm, farmer, and input variables. Marginal value product (MVP) to marginal factor cost (MFC) ratios were used to assess the economic use of selected inputs. The estimated model explains 33.5% of the variation in cotton yield (R² = 0.335). Farm size, cotton area, number of ploughings, and seed use show statistically significant associations with yield, while the coefficients for farmer age, farming experience, laser land levelling, urea, DAP, canal irrigation, and pesticide sprays are not statistically significant. The MVP/MFC ratios indicate that ploughing, urea, canal irrigation, and pesticide sprays have ratios below unity, whereas laser land levelling, seed, and DAP have ratios above unity. These findings highlight opportunities to improve farm performance through better input allocation, soil and water management, and integrated pest management. Agricultural extension services can support these improvements through practical, locally adapted advice and field-based demonstrations.