Abstract:
Vegetables are a necessary food item in the diet systems of most Sri Lankan people.
Vegetables provide proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients that are required by the
human body. In Sri Lanka, per capita vegetable consumption is 52Kg per year.
Vegetables in Sri Lanka are classified under two categories: Up-country vegetables
and Low-country vegetables. Hambanthota is the main district which cultivates lowcountry
vegetables. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between
land size and the yield of vegetable farmers in the selected geographic location. The
implications of this relationship are discussed in the paper. The study uses primary
and secondary data. A questionnaire survey was used for primary data collection. One
hundred vegetable farmers were included in the sample of 200 vegetable-growing
families in Wakandawala North GN Division in the Weeraketiya DSD. The simple
random sampling method was used to select the farmers. Information such as land
preparation methods, crop varieties, and size of land were collected through field
observations. Secondary data were collected from the Weeraketiya DS Office and the
Agricultural Service Office, Weeraketiya. Statistical and mathematical methods were
used in analysing the data. The main characteristic of the vegetable lands of the
Hambantota District is that cultivated plots are very small. In the research area, more
than 90% of farmers have land plots of less than 0.25 acres. The following
characteristics are identified in the area: most farmers do not have proper land
ownership; farmers cannot use heavy machinery for farm activities and, thus, follow
labour intensive methods for vegetable cultivation; and finally, the vegetable market
has uncertain conditions. The implications of these characteristics are discussed in the
paper.
