Diversification and Sustainable Hill  Agriculture Development: An Economic  Analysis of Marigold Cultivation in Jammu  District of J&K State

S. P. Singh; Harminder Singh; Nimit Kumar; Poonam Parihar; Manish Sharma; Anil K. Singh

Volume : II, Issue : XI, November - 2013

Diversification and Sustainable Hill Agriculture Development: An Economic Analysis of Marigold Cultivation in Jammu District of J&K State

S. P. Singh, Harminder Singh, Nimit Kumar, Poonam Parihar, Manish Sharma, Anil K. Singh

Abstract :

An investigation entitled �Diversification and Sustainable Hill Agriculture Development: An Economic Analysis of Marigold Cultivation in Jammu District of J&K State� was conducted in Akhnoor block of Jammu district the agricultural year 2011–12 where Marigold was cultivated predominantly during. From the said development block, four villages were selected randomly. Further, from each village, 15 farmers were selected randomly, so as to constitute a total sample size of 60 farm households cultivating Marigold. The farms were categorized into two categories on the basis of owned holdings viz, marginal (up to 1 ha.) and small farms (above 1 ha. and below 2 ha.). Primary data on costs & returns of the crop were collected by interviewing the farmers through personal visits with the help of an especially structured and pre–tested schedule. The per hectare total costs of cultivation (Cost C2) of Marigold was worked out to be at Rs. 145175.89 and Rs. 148972.10 in case of marginal and small farms, respectively, with an overall average of Rs. 146634.35 on all the farms taken together. Whereas, the respective Cost A1, Cost A2, Cost B1, Cost B2 and Cost C1 were found to be at Rs. 46511.19, Rs. 59511.19, Rs. 51580.89, Rs. 133955.89 & Rs. 62800.89 in case of marginal farms and Rs. 48099.86, Rs. 57099.86, Rs. 53371.27, Rs. 138392.10 & Rs. 63951.27 for small farms. The per hectare returns of Marigold were Rs. 562500 and Rs. 556250 on marginal and small farms respectively with an overall average of Rs. 560000/ha on all the farms taken together. The benefit cost ratio on the total cost of cultivation was found highest in the case of marginal farms (3.87 ) followed by and small farms (3.78) resulting in an overall average of 3.82 on all the sample farms, thereby reflecting that Marigold cultivation was a remunerative enterprise in the hills.