Abstract:
Vegetables are considered a main component of healthy human diet. Understanding
determinants of household demand for vegetables are important in planning production
and supply and to effectively target nutrition interventions. The objectives of this study were
to a) identify the patterns and b) the effect of social and demographic characteristics on
vegetable consumption levels in households in villages from the Central Province of Sri
Lanka. Three study villages, Sinhapitiya North, Godagama and Rathmalkaduwa were
randomly selected. Thirty households each were selected randomly from each study
village. Data on socio-economic and demographic factors, and consumption and
expenditure patterns of households based on one-week recall were collected using a
structured survey schedule. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to understand
consumption patterns. Linear regression analysis was used to explain relationships
between the per-capita weekly vegetable expenditure and socio-economic and
demographic characteristics of households. According to the results, mean weekly
household expenditure for vegetables by households in the study area is LKR 640.89.
Respondents indicated price, nutrition value and family preference as the most important
factors that influenced the buying decisions of vegetables. Mean per capita daily vegetable
consumption is 111 g. Average number of daily meals with vegetables is less than three
indicating that households do not consume vegetables for all three main meals.
Households reported consuming 20 types of local vegetables and 10 types of exotic
vegetables. Sixteen percent of all weekly vegetable meals are generated from their own
home gardens. Econometric model is statistically significant with F value of 14.42 and R2
value of 0.67. Per-capita vegetable consumption expenditure decreases with increasing
household size. Education level of the household head, presence of elders in the family,
working mothers, and household well-being Index, a constructed index using availability of
household assets, have a positive significant influence on per capita expenditure.
Increasing expenditure on vegetable substitutes reduces expenditure on vegetables.
Results of this study would be useful for food producers, marketers and policy makers to
identify and plan target interventions on vegetable production and consumption.
