Dhongade, M. PSale, D.L.2018-01-182018-01-181987http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810039590The present investigation was undertaken with a view to examine empirically the trends in area, produc tion and productivity of important crops viz; kharif jowar, rabi jowar, sugarcane and groundnut with the inter district and inter-regional comparisons for the period from 1959-60 to 1982-83. The study also focussed attention on the supply response of these crops by analysing the acreage and the production response as well as the factors contributing towards the supply behaviour of these crops in the selected districts, regions and the State as a whole during the period under reference. The time-series data relating to the aspects of the study were collected .," for the above period from the published literature as well as from other relevant sources. The data were analysed by fitting linear and exponential functions to study the growth rates. The acreage response was analysed by using linear multiple regressions based on the Nerlovian partial adjustment models and production response by linear multiple regression. The analysis revealed that the linear and compound growth rates in area, production and productivity of kharif jowar and sugarcane were positive and significant at either 5 or 1 per cent level of significance for the selected districts, regions and the State as a whole with a few exceptions. However, there were wide fluctuations in the trends in area, production and productivity during the three sub-periods. The performance of rabi jowar was observed to be unsatisfactory during the period under study. The groundnut crop recorded negative rates of growth in area, production and productivity during the entire period of study with exceptions of positive trends of area in a few districts of Vidarbha region. The negative trend in the production of groundnut was mainly because of the declining area and marginally declining productivity. The variations in acreage of kharif jowar were contributable to two major factors viz; lagged price and lagged acreage of the crop and marginally to pre sowing period rainfall, lagged yield, area under the competing crops and their relative prices. Similar was the situation in case of sugarcane. In groundnut, the negative and significant association between the lagged price and the acreage was observed. This suggests the need for a judicial price policy. The lagged acreage, pre-sowing period rainfall, lagged yield, area under the competing crops and their relative prices were observed to play a vital role in influencing groundnut acreage. Thus, the supply behaviour of these 3 crops was found to be elastic, while that of rabi jowar was inelastic.ennullThesis