Study on Cost and Returns of Cash Crops in Sirmour District, Himachal Pradesh, India

The present study examines the cost and returns of major cash crops raised by different category of farmers in district Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh. The study also identified the different production problems faced by farmers using weighted rank method. Two stage stratified random sampling technique was followed to select a sample of villages and the ultimate farmers. A random sample of 60 farmers was chosen for the study. The major findings revealed that production of vegetables varied from 6.42 qtl for peas to as high as 25.93 qtl of tomato per farm. Garlic being a spice crop recorded the production of 14.37 quintal per farm. In the study, per hectare cost of cultivation was found to be highest for tomato, i.e., Rs. 34200, followed by garlic (Rs. 26134) and beans (Rs. 15427) and lowest for peas (Rs. 11247), The per hectare net return was found to be higher for garlic crop (Rs.115066) when compared to tomato crop (Rs. 55785), beans and peas (Rs. 17108 to Rs. 6703). Therefore, garlic crop was found to be the most profitable crop with the net return of Rs. 115066 which was more and double of profit earned from tomato (Rs. 55785), peas (Rs. 6703) and beans (Rs. 17108). Similarly, the cost of cultivation was found to be highest for the large farmers and the per hectare net return also seemed to be the highest for the large farmers. Likewise, gross returns were also found highest for large farmers than that of small farmers. Further, the study revealed that major production problems faced by the farmers were availability of quality seed, high cost of inputs which were rated at top, followed by monkey & stray animals, quality of seed not available, high cost of inputs and high incidence of pest and pesticides etc. In order to increasing farm production and to minimise operational costs, the availability of high yielding variety seeds, reasonable prices of inputs like seed, fertilizers, pesticides etc., may enhance the farmers’ net return and income.