PUMPKIN CONSUMPTION PATTERN AT PRODUCER’S LEVEL

Abstract

The study was undertaken to determine the pumpkin consumption pattern by the producers, to determine and describe the socio-demographic characteristics and to explore the relationship of the demographic characteristics (independent variables) with pumpkin consumption pattern (dependent variable). Monthly amount of pumpkin consumption of the respondents was also determined. The selected characteristics namely age, education, family size, farm size, annual family income, cosmopoliteness, aspiration, credit received and attitude towards PAB of the producers were considered as the independent variables. The study was conducted in Gangachara upazila under Rangpur district. Ninety five respondents were selected as sample from a recent list of 621beneficiaries using random sampling method. Data were collected by a pre-tested interview schedule during 5th March to 25th April, 2015. Besides the usual descriptive statistical parameter, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used for the statistical analysis. Among the total 10 pumpkin consumption patterns, ‘as curry’ occupied the highest (CPI=374) scores and stand top in the ranking while ‘sliced pumpkin fried with pulse powder’ had the lowest (CPI=139) scores. Majority (68.4 percent) of the respondents had medium pumpkin consumption pattern, while 23.2 percent had low pumpkin consumption pattern and only 8.4 percent had high pumpkin consumption pattern. Out of nine independent variables age, family size and cosmopoliteness showed a positive significant relationship with the pumpkin consumption pattern. Education, farm size and aspiration showed negative significant relationship with the same. Attitude towards PAB of the respondents did not show any significant relationship and on the other hand, annual family income and credit received showed negative relationship with the pumpkin consumption pattern. Among 12 months ‘Baishakh (Mid April-Mid May)’ occupied the highest (MCI=259) scores and stand top in the ranking while ‘Pous (Mid December –Mid January)’ had the lowest (MCI=102) scores.