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20004
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Subject: Agricultural Economics × End date: 2000 × Start date: 2000 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economic Analysis Of Production And Marketing Of Mushrooms
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2000) Renjith Raja, R; KAU; Elsamma Job
    The present study entitled the Economics of Production and Marketing of Mushroom was undertaken during the year 1999-2000. This study was conducted in Thiruvananthapuram district. This district was purposely selected for the study because mushroom growmg units on commercial basis are well established ill Thiruvananthapuram district. A sample of 100 growers who maintained contact with the training centres was selected. Each farmer was interviewed personally. Among the 100 sample farmers 36 were cultivating mushrooms and the remaining had given up cultivation. All the mushroom growers were post-stratified on the basis of nature of investment into Category-I (Temporary upto Rs.15000 ), Category-IT (Semi-permanent Rs.15000-25000) and Category-Ill (Permanent above Rs.25000) Tabular analysis was used to study the socio-economic features, to estimate the cost and returns, marketing cost and margins of mushrooms. Cost concepts were used to estimate the income measures. At aggregate level the total cost incurred for cultivation of mushroom was Rs. 8167.83. Material inputs accounted for about 82.85 per cent of the total working capital requirement for the sample as a whole. Hired labour component was absent in category-I. At aggregate level this accounted for 17.15 per cent total working capital requirement. Total working capital requirement for mushroom production was Rs. 3738.51. As compared to males, females were more in the working force, which shows the women's participation in mushroom cultivation. Explicit costs accounted for 45.77 percent of the total cost. Implicit cost accounted for 54.23 per cent of the total cost. Cost A], Bj, Cl, and C3 per crop cycle for the sample as a whole was Rs. 4144.95, Rs. 4522.91, Rs. 1425.30 and Rs. 8167.83. The total working capital requirement for producing 1 kilogram of spawn was Rs. 12.83. Explicit cost accounted for 71.60 per cent of the total cost. Implicit cost accounted for 28.40 per cent of the total cost. Cost AI, B), Cl, and C3 per kilogram' of spawn Rs. 14.25, Rs. 14.49, and Rs. 16.29, 17.92 respectively. Gross income from mushroom for the sample as a whole was Rs. 12118.60. Gross income from spawn production was Rs. 40.00 for one kilogram of , spawn. Farm business income was Rs. 7973.65 for mushroom production and farm business income of spawn was Rs 25.75. For the sample as a whole the family labour income was Rs. 7595.69. and Rs. 25.51 in the case of spawn production .. The net income from mushrooms was Rs. 3950.77 and from spawn production it was Rs. 22.08. Farm investment income was Rs. 4328.73 and Rs. 22.32 for mushrooms and spawn production. The Benefit-Cost ratio was 1.48. The operating ratio which represents the efficiency of variable costs was 0.31. Aggregate fixed ratio was 0.21. The Benefit-Cost ratio in spawn production was 2.23. The operating ratio was 0.32. Fixed ratio was 0.08 Cobb Douglas production function fitted with returns (rupees) as dependent variable and expenditure on inputs like straw, spawn and labour as independent variables revealed that additional expenditure on straw and spawn could increase the output. The input human labour was found to be in' excess use. The most important marketing channel identified for mushroom was . , Producer-Consumer. Producers share in consumer rupee was 75 per cent. The retailer reaped a net margin of25 per cent for which they did not incurred any cost. The major constraint faced by mushroom growers in production was low yield due to incidence of pest and diseases and among the marketing problems the major constraint identified was lack of awareness among consumers.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economics of vegetable seed production in Chittur taluk of Palakkad district
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2000) Sandhya, M Das; KAU; Indira Devi, P
    The present study on "Economics of vegetable seed production in Chittur Taluk of Pa1akkad District" was conducted with the specific objective of evaluating its economics and identifying the problems. The study was undertaken during March-May 2000, and the data pertains to the year 1999. The production details of ten most important crops m the area (amaranthus, cucumber, chilli, bittergourd, okra, cowpea, pumpkin, snakegourd, ashgourd and brinjaJ) were gathered from the whole population of seed growers in the area by personal interview method using a pretested, structured questionnaire. The cost of cultivation (cost C1) ranged from the lowest Rs.29,514.95 in amaranthus to Rs.69,837.74 for chillies. Like in the case of most of the annual/seasonal crops in Kerala the major item of expenditure was human labour in all the crops except in amaranthus, pumpkin and ashgourd where it was manures and manuring. Manuring was proved to be the most expensive operation. While gross income realised was highest in chillies (Rs.l ,40,485.26) and lowest in okra (Rs.47,494.90) the cost of production was highest for snakegourd (Rs.23 1.68) and lowest for okra (Rs.61.17). Benefit cost ratio at cost C3 was found to be greater than one in all the crops studied. Amaranthus and cucumber seed production proved to be financially the most efficient enterprise. The germination tests conducted using the vegetable seed samples collected from the respondents revealed that all the samples conformed to the prescribed germination standards except in the case of pumpkin, ashgourd and brinjal. The major constraints experienced by the vegetable seed growers were also identified.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economics of production and marketing of banana in Thrissur district
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2000) Nambiar Sajini Balakrishnan; KAU; Thomas, E K
    The present study on the economics of production and marketing of banana in Tbrissur district was aimed to analyse the comparative economics of different varieties of banana viz., Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan and to assess the marketing efficiency and constraints experienced by banana growers. The study was conducted with a sample of 60 growers for each variety. Three stage random sampling procedure was adopted for the study. Percentage analysis was used to analyse the data, and Cobb Douglas production function was fitted for analysing reosource use efficiency. Cost Ab cost A2, cost BI, cost B2, cost Cl and cost C2 per hectare of Nendran were Rs.143720.26, Rs.155898.20, Rs.144842.70, Rs.169842.50, Rs.164571.50 and Rs.189571.18 respectively. The figures in the same order for Poovan were Rs.78065.20, Rs.83689.96, Rs.79030.86, Rs.100530.50, Rs.9923 1.18 and Rs.120719.81 respectively. The corresponding figures for Palayankodan were Rs.41868.20, Rs.41868.20, Rs.42191.80, Rs.63691.81, Rs.55353.90 and Rs.76854.19. Labour was the most important input of expenditure in all the three varieties. The total receipts from the main product and byproducts at the aggregate level were Rs.22381&.00, Rs.170802.00, Rs.89124.90 for Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan respectively. The cost of production per quintal ofNendran based on cost A}, cost A2, cost BI, cost B2, cost Cl and cost C2 were Rs.71O.87, Rs.771.1O, Rs.716.43, Rs.840.09, Rs.813.83 and Rs.937.48 respectively. The figures in the same order for Poovan were Rs.675.67, Rs.724.20, Rs.684.00 Rs.870.34, Rs.858.92 and Rs.I045.22. The corresponding figures for Palayankodan were Rs.227.80, Rs.227.83, Rs.229.50, Rs.346.55, Rs.337.89 and Rs.418.00. Benefit cost ratio based on cost At, cost A2, cost Bj, cost B2, cost Cl and cost ~ were 1.55, 1.42: 1.52, 1.32, 1.35 and 1.20 respectively for Nendran and 2.12, 1.97, 2.09, 1.65, 1.66 and 1.37 respectively for Poovan. The corresponding figures for Palayankodan were 2.17, 2.16, 2.14, 1.41, 1.61 and 1.16. Farm business income for Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan were Rs.80098.20, Rs.92737.00 and Rs.48840.70 respective1Y.Ov-lnfal'lnbusiness income was Rs.68920.05 for Nendran and Rs.87112.23 and Rs.48840.70 for Poovan and Palayankodan respectively. Family labour income for Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan were Rs.53976.20, Rs.70271.60 and Rs.27018.47 respectively. Farm investment income in the same order were Rs.60369.96, Rs.72702.36 and Rs.35678.33. The net income from Nendran worked to Rs.34247.66, while it was Rs.50071.00 and Rs.11536.26 for Poovan and Palayankodan respectively. Cobb Douglas type of production function fitted with output as dependent variable and human labour, manures, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals and support as dependent variables revealed that additional expenditure on plant protection chemicals and support can increase the total returns in Nendran. In case of Poovan, additional expenditure on human labour, manures and plant protection chemicals would increase the total returns, while in palayankodan, additional expenditure on manures and plant protection chemicals would increase the total returns. The most important marketing channel identified in the study area was "producer - KHDP market - retailer - consumer". The next important marketing channel was '5?i-oducer - itinerant commission agent - wholesaler - retailer - consumer". Producers share in consumers rupee through the most important channel was 70 per cent for Nendran and Poovan and 55 per cent for Palayankodan, while for the next important channel it was 64.65 per cent, 66.23 per cent and 65.21 per cent for Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan, respectively. The indices of marketing efficiency for Nendran, Poovan and Palayankodan were 2.37, 2.33 and 1.23 respectively through the most important channel, while the corresponding figures through the second most important channel were 1.83, 1.96 and 1.87. Thus the efficiency of marketing ofNendran and Poovan was higher through the most important channel while the efficiency of marketing of Palayankodan was higher through the second most important channel.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Economic analysis of watershed development programme in Palakkad district
    (Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2000) Thomas, T T; KAU; Jessy Thomas, K
    The present study on "Economic analysis of watershed development programme in Palakkad district was undertaken during the year 1999-2000. The study was focused on the estimation of nature and extent of benefits realised by farmers after the watershed development programme. Data for investigation was generated through a sample survey of the project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Stratified random sampling was adopted for the selection of sample farmers. Out of the four completed watershed projects, two watersheds were randomly selected. From each watershed a total of 60 beneficiaries belonging to the different categories were selected. In addition to this 60 non-beneficiaries were also selected from the non-watershed area as control group, making a total sample of 180. The results of the study showed an increase in area under horticultural crops. An over all higher productivity and income generated through agriculture was observed in watershed area as compared to the non-watershed area. 1bis cannot be attributed totally to the watershed project but can also be due to the better adoption of new technology in the area. Among the constraints faced by the beneficiaries, three assume great importance, namely, (a) non-availability of irrigation water (b) lack of technical guidance and (c) lack of awareness of beneficial programme. The analysis on strengths/weaknesses of the programme indicated that co-operation of farmers was the major strength of the programme. The problem in timely distribution of inputs was found to be an important weakness of the programme. Thus it is evident that the Watershed Development Programme was able to bring about improvement in living condition among its beneficiaries and also among different categories of farmers. Incentives given to beneficiaries have played prime role in influencing technological changes among beneficiaries, besides management orientation. There is need to gIve due importance for the above factors with suitable changes by the watershed staff to promote successful implementation of watershed development programme.