Economics of Organic Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Cultivation in Kandhamal District of Odisha

Kandhamal is the major turmeric growing district of the state. It is the main cash crop for their economic development. Kandhamal Turmeric is an important product and now become popular in the organic food market of Europe and North America. It has gained a good market share in International and Local market. The local variety grown from time immemorial is having 2-3 per cent cur cumin, 12-15 per cent of oleoresin and 5.3 per cent of volatile oil. The current study was carried out in three blocks of the district to analyze the profitability in organic Turmeric cultivation and to document various constraints faced by the turmeric growers in the study area. The data pertained to the agricultural year 2016-17. The yield per ha of fresh Turmeric was 100 quintals where as dry was 20 q. The average price received by the sample farmers per quintal of dry Turmeric was Rs 4800. The total cost of cultivation was Rs.52,200, whereas for dry turmeric production it was Rs. 55,800. The net returns per hectare of Turmeric cultivation was found to be Rs 40,200 leading to a benefit to cost ratio of 1.72. The sample respondents ranked high cost of labour as the greatest constraint in organic turmeric cultivation with a Garrett score of 76.40. The problems ranked as second, third and fourth fifth , sixth and seventh place were personal obligation with traders, financial weakness, lack of technical knowledge, lack of storage facilities , low productivity and non-availability of quality seed respectively. Efforts should be made to introduce labour saving techniques in the study area. To address this problem, mechanization of various operations such as ploughing, sowing, harvesting and drying should be done.