Higher employment and income potential of horticultural crops.
Rao A. N.
Author Affiliation: S.V. Agricultural College, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati 517 502, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics 52 : 584-591
Abstract : The paper compares the employment potential (man days/ha) and profitability of selected horticultural crops with traditional field crops, and highlights the potential for future development of horticultural crops. The study was conducted in three districts (Chittoor, Cuddapah and Kurnool) in Rayalaseema region, Andhra Pradesh, India. Two mandals in each district and two villages in each mandal for each crop were selected. Sixty (vegetable and flower) to 80 (fruit and field crop) farmers were randomly selected from different size groups of farms. The analysis covers three fruit crops (banana, papaya, mango), three vegetables (tomato, okra, aubergine), two flowers (crossandra, jasmine) and three field crops (rice, sugarcane, groundnut). Net returns were higher for fruit, vegetable and flower crops as compared to field crops. Horticultural crops showed favourable benefit-cost ratios and had higher employment potential compared to field crops.