ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF HARAR (Terminalia chebula) CULTIVATION IN ZONE I OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2020-11
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NAUNI,UHF
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present study entitled “Economic analysis of Harar (Terminalia chebula) cultivation in zone 1
of Himachal Pradesh”. A sample of 60 Harar farmers was selected using simple random sampling. The
farmers were categorized on the basis of their total land holding as marginal (<1 ha), small (1-2 ha), medium (>2
ha). Results of the study revealed that overall literacy rate was found 91.37 per cent with literacy index of 2.68
indicating average standard of education. Average operational area was found to be 1.02 ha, in which Harar
plantation was 0.41 ha for the sampled farms. The cropping intensity was worked out to be 152.94 per cent
which indicates that there is a scope for increase in farm efficiency. Harar crop contributed to total household
income ranging from 30.04 per cent in marginal farmers to 21.39 per cent in medium farmers. The initial cost of
plantation per 100 plants was worked out to Rs. 23853.00 at overall farm category level, which ranges between
Rs. 22994.00 in marginal category to Rs. 25326.00 in medium category farms. The maintenance cost of nonbearing
plants was found to be Rs. 21097.75, Rs. 24419.57.00, Rs. 31263.15, in the first to third year
respectively at overall farm category level. Maintenance cost during bearing stage increased with the age of
plantation from Rs. 38898.26 to Rs. 42015.61 per hundred plants in the age groups of 4-10 and 10-20 years
respectively and then gradually decreased to Rs. 41028.66 in the age group of 20-25 years of plantation age. The
proportion of variable cost ranged from 63.41 to 65.67 per cent in different years and share of fixed cost varied
34.33 to 36.53 per cent in the total cost. The average returns in term of money value was highest in case of
medium farms i.e. Rs. 133738.56 followed by marginal farms Rs. 129842.56 and small farms Rs. 128017.95.
The payback period worked out to be 6 years. Benefit-cost ratio was estimated to 2.23, Internal rate of return
(IRR) 37.20 per cent and net present value Rs. 433778.4. These measures clearly indicated that Harar cultivation
in the study is a profitable venture. The sensitivity analysis was carried out at the discount rate of 6 per cent, 10
per cent and 15 per cent. Benefit-cost ratio was found to be greater than one and net present value was found
positive with increases in costs and decreases in returns 5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for all the farm
categories. Non-availability of the labour at peak operation time, lack of timely availability of inputs and quality
planting material and lack of technical knowledge about diseases management, far-off market, non availability
of transportation for low volume produce and high transportation charges, lack of inadequate market for
NTFPPs and market information were some of the production and marketing problems faced by the farmers in
the study area.