Analysis of resource use efficiency in the production of suru sugarcane in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state, India

Abstract

Sugarcane is one of the traditional crops grown extensively in the state of Maharashtra. The present study analysed resource use efficiency in the production of suru sugarcane in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra state, India. The study was based on primary data. The data were collected by interviewing ninety sugarcane growers. The sampled growers were categorized based on the type of sugarcane they cultivated, i.e., suru and ratoon sugarcane. However, the present analysis focused exclusively on suru sugarcane growers. The relationship between various inputs used in suru sugarcane production and output was analysed using the Cobb-Douglas production function. The results revealed that the R² value for suru sugarcane was 0.79, indicating that the selected input variables explained 79 per cent of the variation in production. Additionally, the return to scale for suru sugarcane was found to be 1.05, indicating increasing returns to scale for sugarcane production. The MVP to MFC ratio for suru sugarcane exceeded unity for key inputs such as human labour (1.25), bullock labour (2.75), manure (2.56), potassium (2.83) and irrigation (14.25). These findings suggest that these resources were underutilized in suru sugarcane cultivation, highlighting the potential for expanding their use to enhance productivity.