<![CDATA[Profitability and Sensitivity Analyses of Paddy Seed Farming in Banten Province. Paddy seed industries in Banten Province is still categorized as low, characterized by (i) most farmers produce and use their own seeds, (ii) the available seeds have not fulfilled the needs, (iii) farmers have various perceptions on the use of labeled seeds, and (iv) local seed breeders have not yet developed. The objectives of this assessment are to analyze the feasibility and sensitivity of paddy seed breeding against price and production changes. The study was conducted in Serang Regency, Banten Province from March to August 2007. The approaches used were tabularized descriptive analysis, feasibility analysis, break even point, and sensitivity analysis. The study results show that: (1) paddy seed breeding was profitable (B/C =1.71), (2) the minimum production and price that must be achieved in order to remain profitable were 1.587 kg/ha and Rp.1, 477/kg, respectively, and (3) seed breeding was relatively insensitive to price and production changes. Therefore, local seed breeders need to be developed in order to increase the availability of labeled seeds.Key words : Labeled seed, feasibility, sensitivity, local seed producerABSTRAKIndustri perbenihan padi di Provinsi Banten masih dikategorikan rendah yang dicirikan oleh (i) sebagian besar petani menggunakan dan memproduksi sendiri benih, (ii) benih yang tersedia belum memenuhi kebutuhan (iii) beragamnya persepsi petani terhadap penggunaan benih berlabel dan (iv) belum berkembangnya penangkar benih di daerah. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kelayakan usaha dan sensitivitas usaha perbanyakan benih padi terhadap perubahan harga dan produksi. Kajian dilakukan di kabupaten Serang, Provinsi Banten sejak bulan Maret sampai Agustus 2007. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif tabulatif, analisis kelayakan usaha, titik impas harga dan produksi serta analisis sensitivitas. Hasil kajian menunjukkan : (1) usaha perbanyakan benih padi menguntungkan dan layak untuk dikembangkan (B/C=1.71), (2) produksi dan harga minimun yang harus dicapai agar usaha perbanyakan benih tetap menguntungkan adalah 1.587 kg/ha dan Rp.1.477/kg; dan (3) usaha perbanyakan benih padi relatif tidak sensitif terhadap perubahan harga dan penurunan produksi. Untuk itu, penangkar benih lokal perlu dikembangkan dalam rangka meningkatkan ketersediaan benih padi berlabel.Kata kunci : Benih berlabel, kelayakan, sensitivitas, penangkar benih lokal]]>
