<![CDATA[Although the adoption of superior cocoa clones has been widely expanded, the economic efficiency of cocoa agribusiness at the farm level remains heavily dependent on farmers' precision in managing and allocating production inputs rationally. In Polewali Mandar Regency, smallholder cocoa farmers face liquidity constraints and capital shortages while simultaneously exhibiting substantial input waste, particularly in the excessive and unbalanced application of chemical fertilizers. This study evaluates real physical input allocations compared to the Indonesian Coffee and Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI/Puslitkoka) agronomic recommendations, identifies operational returns to scale, and analyzes input slack movement using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) under Variable Returns to Scale (VRS). The results reveal that farmers cultivating superior Sulawesi 1&2 clones achieve higher scale efficiency (54.54% Constant Returns to Scale / CRS) compared to local clone farmers (46.30% CRS). Input slack reaches its peak among 16–20-year-old trees, reflecting psychological over-fertilization during natural yield declines. Notably, 21–25-year-old Sulawesi 1&2 trees rehabilitated via side-grafting achieved complete zero-slack condition, operating on the efficient frontier, whereas local clones of the same age maintain significant input excess. Rationalizing input allocation and substituting excessive nitrogen/phosphate with essential potassium (KCl) are critical strategies for resource optimization.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
