This paper estimates the technical efficiency of traditional variety (TV) and highyielding-variety
(HYV) rice producers in Bangladesh as well as explores the
determinants of HYV rice adoption in a survey data from 360 farmers for the 2008/09
growing seasons. Estimates by stochastic frontier analysis indicated that in spite of its
much yield potential, HYV rice production was associated with lower technical
efficiency and had a greater variability in yield. Results indicated that technical
efficiency of HYV and TV rice were related to age, experience, off-farm income,
extension visits, and access to microfinance. A Tobit analysis revealed that the adoption
of HYV rice was significantly and positively influenced by farmers’ age and experience,
level of technical efficiency, irrigation coverage, off-farm incomes, access to
microfinance, perception of yield and membership of village-local groups
