Costs, Returns, Resource Use Efficiency of American Cotton Production in Irrigated North Western Plain Zone of Rajasthan, India
Pradeep Kumar *
Department of Agricultural Economics, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, 334006, Rajasthan, India.
R. S. Shekhawat
Department of Agricultural Economics, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, 334006, Rajasthan, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study was carried out at Irrigated North Western Plain Zone 1b of Rajasthan in agricultural year 2012-13. This zone covers about 80 percent of the total area of cotton in the state. The study focused on the cost and return, efficiency of resource use and problems faced by the farmers in American cotton production under different farm sizes. Two villages namely 4C and Mirjawala were selected from Sriganganagar tehsil of the zone. Thirty farmers were selected at random in proportion to the total number of farmers in each size group from the list of from American cotton farmers group. The total variable cost of per hectare American cotton was Rs 28985. The yield per ha was 18.70 quintals. The return over variable cost per hectare American cotton was Rs 61436. The Cobb Douglas production function, revealed that the in American cotton farmers were underutilized fertilizer. Non-availability of labour during peak season was reported as highly acute constraint for cotton farmers. The damage caused by insect pests was reported as main problem for American cotton sample farmers.
Keywords: Cost and return, resource-use efficiency, constraint