Anisah Mudi Harjanti. H0821013. "Optimization of Production Input Usage in Curly Chili Farming in the Pepe Watershed Area, Boyolali Regency." Supervised by Prof. Dr. Ir. Mohamad Harisudin, M.Si, and Refa’ul Khairiyakh, S.P., M.Sc. Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta.

Curly chili (Capsicum annum L.) was one of the horticultural commodities with high economic value. However, the suboptimal use of production inputs resulted in low productivity. Boyolali Regency, particularly Cepogo District, had great potential for curly chili cultivation due to its strategic geographical conditions. This study aimed to analyze the optimization of production input usage to improve harvest yields and enhance farmers' welfare.

Pepe Watershed was a river basin that flowed through Boyolali Regency and Surakarta City. The majority of the population in this area worked as farmers, with curly chili as one of the main commodities. Although the geographical conditions were favorable, the productivity of curly chili remained relatively low compared to other areas in Central Java.

This study employed a causal-comparative method with a quantitative approach. The research sample was determined using the convenience sampling method, involving 68 farmers as respondents. Data analysis was conducted using the Cobb-Douglas production function regression and an optimization analysis of production input usage.

The study results indicated that land area, seeds, and labor had a positive and significant effect on curly chili production. Conversely, manure, Phonska fertilizer, and pesticides did not significantly influence production outcomes. The optimization analysis revealed that the use of land area and seeds was still suboptimal and needed to be increased. In contrast, the use of manure, Phonska fertilizer, and pesticides should be reduced due to inefficiency. The total farming cost of curly chili reached Rp58,371,784 per hectare, with revenue of Rp82,512,769 per hectare, resulting in a profit of Rp27,635,097 per hectare. Farmers needed to increase land usage and the number of seeds to optimize production. Additionally, the use of manure, Phonska fertilizer, and pesticides should be reduced to achieve greater efficiency.