Economics of production and constraints in pomegranate cultivation in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra

Abstract

Maharashtra is known as Fruit bowl of India. Pomegranate cultivation today is a highly captivating and remunerative business for farmers in India with promising monetary return from this crop has resulted in increase in area and production of pomegranate. The present investigation focused on “Economics of Production and Constraints in Pomegranate Cultivation in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra”. Per hectare establishment cost is worked out to ` 87421.07. Per hectare overall cost of cultivation of pomegranate was worked out to 121170.33. While overall benefit – cost ratio was worked out to be 2.14. The expenditure on intercultural operations and irrigation charges showed the decreasing trend from first to third year. As the age of orchard increases, the expenditure on intercultural operations and irrigation charges decreases. The fertilizers as well as hired human labour cost increases as age of orchard increases. Similarly there was increasing trend in the case of cost item like micronutrients, growth regulators and plant protection. Major constraints in pomegranate production were high cost of inputs, non availability of skilled labour, lack of technical knowledge, high labour cost and non availability of quality planting material.