Trend Analysis and Growth Rate of Dry Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Production in Lesotho

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 13,Issue 5, Sept. 2026

Year:

2026

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Consumption, Growth Rate, Importation, Pea, Production, Stability Index, Trends

Authors:

Morojele, Motlatsi Eric; Motake, Motanyane Stanislaus

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

13

Number:

5

Pages:

35-46

Month:

September

ISSN:

2348-3997

Abstract:

Pea production has been practiced over a century by small scale farmers for home consumption and sale of surplus to meet other house-hold needs. There is a scanty information about its production, consumption, importation and trade. The objectives of the study therefore seek to; (i) Determine annual and compound growth rates, trends in pea production and area grown. (ii) Establish trends in consumption, importation volumes and values of peas. Time-series data were collected from Bureau of Statistics in Lesotho, website of Koenema and Index box. Data covering 60 years of production and area grown peas span from 1961 to 2021, while data on consumption and importation of peas cover 21 years from 2007-2021. Microsoft excel was employed to capture data and perform trend analysis. Results revealed mean pea production and area to be 5,662.4 ton and 6,728.6 ha, respectively. Mean growth rates of pea production was 7.56%, while mean growth rate in the area under pea production was -2.016%. Mean consumption volume and value of peas were 1,893.56 mt tons and US$ 1,783.3 million, respectively. Mean growth rate in consumption volume was 9.56%, while the value growth rate was 14.76 %, respectively. Mean importation volume was 1,551.9 mt ton, while mean importation value was US$538.9. Growth rate for importation volume was 42.11%, while growth rate for importation value was 42.33%. Trendline for area and production revealed decline of 75% and 60.29%, respectively. Trendlines for consumption value and volume, importation value and volume exhibited upward trends, while trendline for production and area revealed a decline and this situation implies a serious threat to food security.

Full text: IJRAS_1201_FINAL.pdf