Economic Returns of Sweet Potato Cultivation: A Field Level Analysis in South India

By : P. Jothi , C. Renuka , N. Devika

Page No: 263-271

Abstract: Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy, but the truth is, the situation of the farmers is dire. India has a lot of sectors and professions, and they seem to grow at a healthy rate. The agriculture sector has also grown extensively, but farmers have been struggling to improving their quality of life, especially in times of distress, such as climate change and disaster (Covid 19). Therefore, an attempt has been made in this study to analyze the economic returns of sweet potato cultivation using farm level data collected from Kalaiyar Kovil block, Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu. The study reveals that sweet potato cultivation provides a number of benefits, especially for the poor and marginal farmers. Sweet potato is comparatively free from many serious diseases in India, although the crop has been reported susceptible to more than 40 diseases in other countries. Consequently, sweet potato is considered as a win-win crop as an environmentally sound and a farmer-friendly crop. Sweet potatoes cultivation demands less pesticides, fertilizers and labour, because of which, there is lesser land degradation. Besides, the profit realized from sweet potato cultivation is substantially higher at about `65,142 / acre.

Authors :
P. Jothi
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Economics and Rural Development, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.

C. Renuka
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Economics and Rural Development, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.

N. Devika
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Economics and Rural Development, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/PROD.2021.62.03.6