Cost and Return Structure for the Promising Enterprise of Off-Season Vegetables in Himachal Pradesh

The costs and returns structure has been reported for the production of major off-season vegetables, viz. tomato, cabbage cauliflower and peas in two vegetable-dominated developmental blocks of the district Kullu. Primary data have been collected through survey method for the agricultural year 2007-08. The study has revealed that per hectare cost A1 was highest for tomato, followed by cabbage, cauliflower and lowest for peas, among the selected vegetables. However, per quintal cost of cultivation has been found to be highest for peas, followed by cauliflower, tomato and cabbage. Costs on plant protection measures have been the major constituents of cost A1 in all the crops, followed by expenditure on seed and fertilizers. Vegetables being the labour-intensive crops, have incurred significantly high costs on human labour, ` 13200-` 15600/ha. Gross returns as well as net returns per hectare have been observed to be highest for tomato, followed by cauliflower, cabbage and peas. The study has suggested that to promote this enterprise, niche areas for off-season vegetable cultivation need to be identified and efforts to tap irrigation potential in those areas should be enhanced. Education of farmers for scientific management of crops and provision of improved tools for efficient use of labour have also been suggested to lower production costs and make the vegetable cultivation more beneficial to farmers, particularly to the small and marginal farmers in the state.