Comparative Economics of Maize Cultivation under Conventional and Mechanization

Aim: To compare the cost and return analysis of conventional maize cultivation with mechanization.

Place of Study: A field experiment on maize crop cultivation by conventional and mechanization was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Karimnagar during Kharif, 2019-20.

Methodology: The cost concepts were used to estimate the cost of cultivation under conventional and Mechanization methods. The cost concepts viz., cost A1, cost A2 cost B1 cost B2 and cost C1, cost C2 and C3 were used in the present study.

Results: The total costs of cultivation under conventional and mechanization methods were Rs.117794.78 and Rs.104137.92 per hectare respectively indicating 12 % saving with mechanization. Similarly gross returns were Rs. 146064.00 in conventional method against Rs.146988.00 in mechanized method. Net returns recovered were 52% higher with mechanized method i.e Rs.42850.08 compared to conventional method Rs.28269.22. In the same way returns per rupee of investment in conventional method and mechanization were 1.23 and 1.41. Mechanization in cultivation also saves time, labour usage and reduces drudgery.