Economics of Production to Marketing of Aromatic Crops in Uttar Pradesh: A Case Study

Abstract

The economics of production of three medicinal and aromatic plants, viz. menthol mint, tulsi and vetiver has been worked out using farm-level data from the districts of Barabanki, Sitapur and Raebaerli in Uttar Pradesh. The cultivation of these plant species has been found to be highly profitable, and farmers of these districts need to be made aware about this fact. The net returns over total cost have been found higher for vetiver ( 1, 53,933/ha), followed by menthol mint ( 53,250/ha) and tulsi ( 40,094/ha). The benefit– cost ratio however has been observed to be highest for menthol mint (3.27), followed by tulsi (3.21) and vetiver (3.04). The employment generation potential of these three crops has also been found quite high. The education of farmers has been found to be influencing the cultivation of aromatic crops. The study has drawn attention to the following aspects: (i) development of a package of improved cultivation practices, (ii) availability of good quality planting material of high-yielding, short-duration varieties, (iii) more demonstration/extension efforts, (iv) better access to timely and adequate credit, (v) access to timely market information, (vi) establishment of regulated market, (vii) introduction of minimum support price. (viii) contract farming. (ix) establishment of testing facilities, and (x) linkage with pharmaceutical and perfumery industries so as to boost cultivation of aromatic crops in the study area.