Economic analysis of sweet potato production and utilization for animal feed in North Vietnam

The analysis showed that government policies provided incentives to sweet potato growers, as indicated by the NPR [nominal protection rate] values which ranged from 7 percent to 25 percent. But they also served as disincentives for sweet potato growers by imposing positive implicit tariff (IT) on major inputs (i.e., fertilizer) used for sweet potato production. The NSP [net social profitability] values in all the study areas were positive, showing that sweet potato production in North Vietnam had comparative advantage or sweet potato production in the study areas used domestic resources more efficiently. The largest NSP value was 3,517.5 thousand dong and the smallest value was 182.8 thousand dong per hectare of sweet potato in Hatay and Hanoi, respectively. The study also evaluated the prospects of using sweet potato as animal feed in North Vietnam. The results showed that sweet potato products (roots and vines) were mainly used for swine feed. The largest proportion of roots used as feeds was 82.1 percent and the smallest was 50.2 percent in Hatay and Thanhhoa, respectively. For sweet potato vine, the highest proportion used was 80.8 percent in Thanhhoa and the lowest was 54.5 percent in Hanoi. Sweet potato occupied a large part in total feed costs for swine: 16.5-33.6 percent in Bacthai and 29.1-45.1 percent in Thanhhoa. Weight gains of swine fed with sweet potato, which has good supplemental protein was at par with those given commercial feeds. The study showed that using sweet potato as the main feed ingredient for swine could bring high profit to swine raisers. The highest values of returns on labor in Batchai and Thanhhoa were 546.8 thousand dong and 474.1 thousand dong per swine in one rearing cycle, respectively. The lowest values of return on labor were 103.3 thousand dong and 255.5 thousand dong per swine in one rearing cycle in Bacthai and Thanhhoa, respectively. In general, therefore, North Vietnam has a comparative advantage in sweet potato production and utilization as swine feed. And the swine industry can provide an important source of income generating opportunities in the rural areas and at the same time provide protein-rich foods for the growing population, particularly in the urban areas, therefore it should not be left out in the economic development process