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Subject: Agricultural Economics × Author: KAU × End date: 1996 × Start date: 1996 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economics of production and marketing of selected medicinal plants in Thrissur district
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1996) Mayadevi, A; KAU; Mukundan, K
    The present investigation on the production and marketing of selected medicinal plants (Kacholam and Koduveli) in Thrissur district was undertaken during the year 1994-1995. The study aimed at estimating the cost of cultivation, cost of production, benefit-cost ratio, study the market structure and look into to the various uses to which these medicinal plants are put and the problems encountered in medicinal plants cultivation. Multi stage random sampling design was adopted for the study. The largest single item of input was human labour in Koduveli and seeds in Kacholam. Cost A1, Cost A2, Cost B1, Cost B2, Cost C1 and Cost C2 per hectare were Rs.26,678.09; Rs.26,678.09; Rs.27,534.09; Rs.27,534.09; Rs.52,534.09; Rs.31,549.59 and Rs.56,550.59 respectively for Koduveli and Rs.49,332.5; Rs.49,332.5; Rs.50,609.30; Rs.50,609.30 and Rs.75,609.30 respectively for Kacholam. The income measures in relation to different cost concepts in medicinal plants cultivation such as gross income, farm business income, family labour income, net income at Cost C1 and Cost C2 and were Rs.130400.69, Rs.81068.19, Rs.54791.39, Rs.79791.39 and Rs.54791.39 for Kacholam and Rs.136003.69, Rs.109325.6, Rs.83469.6, Rs.104454.1 and Rs.79452.8 respectively for Koduveli. Input-output ratio based on Cost A1, Cost A2, Cost B1, Cost B2, Cost C1 and Cost C2 were Rs.2.62, Rs.2.62, Rs.2.55, Rs.1.71, Rs.2.55 and Rs.1.71 for Kacholam and Rs.5.10, Rs.5.10, Rs.4.90, Rs.2.59, Rs.4.30 and Rs.2.40 for Koduveli respectively. The average per hectare yield in the district for Kacholam was 1862.9 kilogram (dried) and for Koduveli 6476.3 kilogram (green). Production function analysis done separately for the two medicinal plants revealed that area and seeds towards gross income were found to have positive effect on gross income. The sum of elasticities of production function for Kacholam (1.0862) and for Koduveli were (1.0228) respectively which indicated constant returns to scale. The major marketing channels identified in Thrissur market for marketing of medicinal plants was Producer-dealer-manufacturer. The producers’ net share on dealer rupee was Rs.69 per kilogram (92 per cent) for Kacholam and Rs.20 per kilogram (83.3 per cent) for Koduveli. The index of marketing efficiency was 11.5 for Kacholam and 7 for Koduveli. The analysis of marketing efficiency revealed that the efficiency of marketing of Kacholam was higher when compared to Koduveli. Non availability of good materials in sufficient quantities, unawareness of farmers about their cultivation, high post-harvest losses and unorganized trade are the main constraints encountered in medicinal plant cultivation.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Income savings and capital formation in farm households of Kodakara development block
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1996) Prema, A; KAU; Thomas, E K
    The present investigation on income, savings and capital formation in farm households of Kodakara development block was undertaken during the agricultural year 1994-95. The study aimed at analyzing the various sources and amounts of income, estimating the costs and associated variables influencing the income and savings pattern, to assess the capital output ratio on farms and to identify the constraints influencing capital formation. Data for the study was generated through a sample survey of 120 farm households. Three stage random sampling was adopted for the study. Suitable statistical techniques were employed in the analysis of data. The average income of the sample households worked out to Rs.39019.30 of which 27.60 per cent was from farm income and 72.40 was contributed by non farm income. Farm income comprised of income from crop (78.05 %), livestock (20.00 %) and others like sale of farm assets etc. (1.95 %). Services (88.55 %) and business (10.07 %) contributed to the non-farm income of the households. Gross farm income, farm business income, family labour income and net income were Rs.16061.20, Rs.9368.85, Rs.7890.70 and Rs.8743.55 respectively. The benefit –cost ratio of the farms worked out to 1.79 and the capital output ratio was 3.08. Average expenditure of farm households was Rs.29507.70 of which crops accounted for 22.70 per cent, livestock 10.50 per cent and consumption 64.80 per cent. Food items accounted for 69.05 per cent of the consumption expenditure of farm households and it was observed that as the farm size and family size increased, the percentage expenditure on food decreased. The disparity in non-farm income was observed to be higher than the disparity in farm income and it decreased with increase in farm size. The saving pattern showed that 81.67 per cent, 67.5%, 56.87 per cent, 35.83 per cent and 76.07 per cent of the farm households had accounts (transaction with) in co-operatives, commercial banks, post offices, LIC, kurries and chitties. Savings of sample household amounted to Rs.9511.60 which was 24.40 per cent of the total income. Path analysis identified non-farm income, net farm income and family expenditure as the three important variables with substantial direct effect on savings. The asset structure of the sample farm households showed that land was the major item of asset. If land, residential building and household durables were excluded, wells and tanks followed by livestock occupied the major portion of his asset. Purchase of irrigation appliances and livestock were the major item of capital formation in the farms. The rate of capital formation increased as the farm size increased. High consumption expenditure, followed by non-availability of labour and high wage rate were perceived by the respondents as the important constraints to capital formation in the study area. High price of inputs followed by low product price formed the fourth and fifth important constraints. Unemployment of educated youth and lack of irrigation facilities were also remarked as constraints to capital formation.