Assessment of profitability and sustainability of paddy-based cropping systems in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh
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Date
2023
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RPCAU, Pusa
Abstract
The current study, entitled "Assessment of profitability and sustainability of paddy-based cropping systems in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh” was performed to identify major paddy-based cropping systems in the study area, examine their costs and returns, resource use efficiency, and sustainability in various paddy based cropping systems. For the purpose of this study, three mandals i.e., Kota, Vakadu, and Ananthasagaram with paddy-based cropping systems were chosen. From each mandal, two villages were randomly selected making a total of six villages for the study. Twenty-five farmers were chosen randomly from each village. As a result, 50 sample respondents were chosen from every mandal and thus made the total sample analysed in the study of various paddy-based cropping systems. A total of 150 sample farmers were chosen for the study. A well-planned interview schedule was used to gather primary data from the farmers, and secondary data from statistical offices at various levels in the study area.
The major cropping systems based on paddy observed in the study area were cropping system Ⅰ (paddy-groundnut), cropping system Ⅱ (paddy-paddy), & cropping system Ⅲ (paddy-cotton). The findings indicated that cropping system Ⅲ (Rs.160849.83) had the highest cost of cultivation, followed by cropping system Ⅰ (Rs.139634.59) and cropping system Ⅱ (Rs. 132024.42). Similarly, the gross returns obtained were in the same order, indicating that cropping system Ⅲ (Rs. 330072.45) observed the highest returns, followed by cropping system Ⅰ (Rs. 281916.83) and cropping system Ⅱ (Rs. 259072.90). The highest net income, Rs. 169222.62, was realised by the farmers under Cropping System III. The net returns for Cropping system Ⅰ and Cropping system Ⅱ were Rs. 141282.24, Rs. 127048.48, correspondingly. The highest output-input ratio was found for Cropping System III (2.05), succeeded by paddy-groundnut System (2.01) and paddy-paddy system (1.96). Therefore, it can be concluded that paddy-cotton cropping system was definitely the most profitable, followed by paddy-groundnut and then paddy-paddy.
The findings of step-wise regression analysis in cropping system I demonstrated that regression coefficients of seeds, machine power, and FYM in paddy and seeds in groundnut were statistically significant. The MVP/MFC ratio for factors like seeds, machine power, and FYM in paddy and seeds in groundnut was more than unity, thus it may be inferred that increasing these inputs will have the potential to enhance the returns. In cropping system II, regression coefficients of fertiliser in kharif paddy and FYM and hired labour in rabi paddy had statistically positive and significant impact on yield. The MVP/MFC ratios for fertilisers in kharif paddy and FYM, as well as hired labour in rabi paddy, were estimated more than one, which indicated the further more usage of the inputs mentioned. The coefficient of hired labour in kharif paddy was estimated to be negatively significant, and the allocative efficiency of hired labour was found to be <1, implying that labour was employed more extensively than required level, recommending a drop in existing labour utilisation. In cropping system III, hired labour in paddy and machine power in cotton were favourably significant. The allocative efficiency for hired labour in paddy and machine power was estimated to be greater than one, indicating that these specific inputs may be employed more to attain maximum efficiency.
It was opined that cropping system III (paddy-cotton) was the most sustainable and viable in the study region, followed by paddy-paddy (cropping system II) and paddy-groundnut (cropping system I), with percentages of sustainability assessed as 60.93%, 50.86%, and 42.88%, respectively. As per the results of the linear multiple regression analysis, factors like returns to cost ratio and the cost used for environmentally friendly inputs relative to overall cost of cultivation were significant in all the three cropping systems, whereas gross income per acre was found significant in paddy-groundnut and paddy-cotton cropping systems. The factor like pesticide productivity was positively significant in both cropping system I and cropping system II, while it was observed that fertiliser productivity was favourably significant in cropping system II and cropping system III and ratio of cost of owned inputs to total cost of cultivation was estimated significant in cropping system II.