Economic Analysis of Edible Sugarcane Cultivation under Drip and Non-drip Method of Irrigation in Tamil Nadu: A Field Level Study

By : P. Padmavathi

Page No: 478-485

Abstract
This article attempts to investigate the effects of growing edible sugarcane using the drip as well as the conventional irrigation method with the help of field-level survey data collected in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This research investigates edible irrigated sugarcane in light of the rapid fall in irrigation water potential and low water-use efficiency in non-edible, flood-irrigated sugarcane cultivation. Using drip irrigation for growing edible sugarcane not only helps to conserve water, but also boosts crop yields. When comparing drip- and flood-irrigated edible sugarcane farming, the study indicated that the former used around 37 percent less water and the latter made about 103 percent more money. Also, compared with the more conventional flood method of irrigation (FMI), edible sugarcane grown with drip method of irrigation (DMI) reduces electricity costs by roughly 51 percent. DMI farmers had a higher gross cost of cultivation, water and electricity savings, gross value of output, productivity, and profitability from growing edible sugarcane. Finally, the study recommends that the benefits of sugarcane cultivation under drip irrigation be disseminated among farmers as soon as possible by bolstering quality extension service programmes, awareness campaigns, and providing extensive publicity on a continual basis to reduce farmer misery.

Author :
P. Padmavathi : Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Economics, VidhyaaGiri College of Arts and Science, Puduvayal, Tamil Nadu, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2023.63.04.10