Cost of cultivation and farm business basis of banana production in Allahabad district, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The present investigations were carried out to study the cost of cultivation and returns on different cost concepts bases of banana in Allahabad and Kaushambi districts, Uttar Pradesh which were selected on the basis of highest area and production of banana. A sample of 80 banana growing farmers from different land size categories was selected by probability proportion to number of farmers in each size group. On an average Rs 38857.28 were spent on banana per hectare. The cost of cultivation of small farm size group was highest (Rs 43222.87) followed by medium (Rs 40541.63) and large farms (Rs 33584.52). The cost of cultivation of different components like human labour accounted for the largest portion (28.43%) followed by irrigation (19.65%). The other major components were plant protection (13.67%), intercultural operations (9.52%), suckers (9.46%), rental value of land (7.72%), fertilizers (3.89%) and interest on working capital (2.61%). The cultivation of banana needs more labour use for harvesting, cutting, irrigation and sowing of suckers. The cost-benefit ratio of large farm size group was highest 1: 1.81 followed by medium and small farm size groups. It was observed that the cost decreased as the size of landholding increased and vice versa.