An economic analysis of nursery enterprise in thane and Palghar Districts of Konkan Region

Abstract

Nursery enterprise plays a vital role in supporting horticulture, agriculture, landscaping, and forestry by providing quality planting material. The study was conducted in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, by selecting 30 sample nurseries from Thane and Palghar districts. The research aimed to analyse the cost returns, profitability, and overall viability of nursery enterprise. The data was collected through personal interviews using structured schedules for the reference year 2023–24. The analysis revealed that per farm capital investment was (Rs. 67.81 lakh), with land comprising the largest share (48.52%). The major components of nursery enterprise were Mango (45.81%), Sapota (18.50%) and Coconut (13.91%). The per farm cost of nursery production was Rs. 1504506, while gross returns stood at Rs. 2703725, resulting into a net profit of Rs. 1199219. The benefit-cost ratio of nursery enterprise was found to be 2.25. The break-even analysis showed that profits start beyond the production of 8238 grafts/seedlings. The study concluded that nursery enterprise is highly profitable and suitable for adoption by small and medium farmers in the Konkan region.