AN ASSESSMENT OF PROFITABILITY AND YIELD GAP IN SUGARCANE PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL PLAIN ZONE OF UTTAR PRADESH – A CASE STUDY OF SITAPUR DISTRICT
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Date
2023
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RPCAU, Pusa
Abstract
Sugarcane is one of the most important Industrial crops and the main source of income of the million people in the world. The present study aims to analyses the cost and returns of sugarcane, resource use efficiency of inputs, yield gap analysis and constraints of sugarcane growers in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh. The primary data was obtained from 150 farmers of Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh by using survey method. The study revealed that the cost of cultivation of sugarcane (plant) was estimated Rs. 162959.80 per hectare, out of which share of variable cost and overhead cost were 66.55% and 33.45%, respectively. Farm size wise analysis showed that cost of cultivation of sugarcane increased with increasing size of land holding. Out of all items of costs of sugarcane (plant), the rental value of owned land emerged out to be the most important percentage share of sugarcane plant (22.09 %) of the total cost, followed by human labour (14.78 %) and seeds/ cane setts (14.32 %), while total cost of cultivation of sugarcane (ratoon) were estimated Rs.114939.61, out of which share of variable and fixed cost were 64.63 % and 35.37 %, respectively. The rental value of owned land emerged out to be the most important one and accounted for (24.36 %) of the total cost in sugarcane (ratoon), followed by human labour (13.79 %) and seeds/ cane setts (5.99 %). Size wise analysis of cost of cultivation of sugarcane showed that the cost of cultivation of sugarcane increased with increasing size of land holding. The operational cost showed decreasing trend with increase in the farm size, while material cost revealed the decreasing trend. The study also revealed that, the overall gross returns per hectare of sugarcane plant was Rs. 267725.82 and ratoon crop was Rs. 221346.15. The net return of sugarcane per hectare of plant and ratoon were Rs. 84470.04, Rs. 94912.57, respectively. Farm business income of both sugarcane (plant) and ratoon were Rs. 156952.18 and Rs.146845.05, family labour income for plant and ratoon were Rs. 115997.40 and Rs.115148.91, farm investment income ware Rs.145720.76 and Rs.138102.68 in the study area.
Resource use efficiency analyses that the value of multiple determination (R2) was found 0.95, indicating that 95 % variation in output explained jointly by 5 independent variables like human labour, machine labour, cane setts, irrigation, and fertilizers under study area. The regression coefficients of variables like human labour and machine labour were found that negative and significant. The regression coefficients of inputs like irrigation and fertilizers were found to be positive but not significant. The sum of elasticity (Σbi) was calculated 0.97, showing decreasing returns to scale. The marginal value of productivity of human labour, machine labour, seeds/cane setts, irrigation, and fertilizers were computed to be -89.98, -1432.82, -4287.49, 148.28, 202.65, respectively. The value of MVPx/ MFCx for human labour, machine labour, seeds/cane setts, irrigation, fertilizers were -0.004, -0.219, -0.167, 0.006, 0.011. Therefor it is clear from the discussion that human labour, machine labour and seeds/cane setts were overutilized and the resources irrigation and fertilizers were underutilized and thus there was ample scope for optimum use putting these resources under to raise the gross returns.
It was found that yield gap-II among all size group of farms of sugarcane in the study area was comparatively very high on marginal farms 48.42 tonnes and lowest on large farms 13.47 tonnes per hectares, yield gap was found to be negatively related with the size of the farms. It may be contemplated that performers of farmers of all the size groups were not up to the mark so there is scope to improve the yield of sugarcane crops in the study area.
Unavailability of loan on time during peak period of sugarcane cultivations was the most important constraint, followed by that non availability loan in time of time, unavailability of labour during peak period and pests and disease hazards. The other least important constraint was lack knowledge of improved technology and poor management of family labours.
It was being difficult for the marginal farmers to utilize all the recommended packages of practices of sugarcane crop to attain potential yield to earn the sufficient net income from cane production.