Feasibility and Growth Dynamics of Mustard Farming in Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand Region of U.P. India

Abstract

Bundelkhand is a region of central India lying in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the least socio-economically developed regions of the country mainly due to regular incidence of drought and erratic rainfall. Mustard is one of the most important oilseed crop of rabi season for Bundelkhand region on the basis of area under the crop. With the limited resources, there has been a noticeable change in the area, production and productivity of mustard. Apart from edible oil, it also has industrial use in producing items like varnishes, soaps, paints, hydrogenated oil, perfumery, lubricants, etc. The study is an attempt to examine the pattern of growth, instability, cost and return of production of mustard crops at state (Uttar Pradesh) and regional (Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh) level. Study is based on secondary data obtained from various published sources. Compound Annual Growth Rate, coefficient of variation, Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) cost concept and returns were used as analytical tools to assess the financial suitability and performance of the crop in both the Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region. It was observed that the growth in area (2.94%) and production (4.36%) of mustard crop in Bundelkhand region was increasing at a higher rate as that of Uttar Pradesh. Higher net return was earned by the farmer growing mustard in Uttar Pradesh than the farmer of Bundelkhand region.