ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF DRIP FOR CAULIFLOWER CULTIVATION IN TRIBAL AREAS OF JHARKHAND STATE, INDIA

Crop production is one of the water-intensive activities as the agricultural sector consumes about 80 percent of total water use in India and it is assumed that it will continue due to crop intensification and diversification towards waterloving crops. The irrigation water can be reduced by adopting different methods of irrigation including water-saving technology. Among different water-saving technologies, drip irrigation enhances water and fertilizer use efficiency which leads to an augmentation of crop yield. The overall objective of the present study was to find out the impact of the drip method of irrigation on the cost of cauliflower cultivation and the economic viability of the drip system. The present study used primary data and it was gathered through the personal interview with the cauliflower grower of Ranchi district of Jharkhand. Results of the present study suggest that the average cost of cauliflower was higher (Rs. 84,479.95/ha) for drip adopters as compared to non-adopters (Rs 78,749.14/ha). The gross and net income from cauliflower for drip adopters was found to be Rs. 1,40,000 and Rs. 55,520.06, respectively, whereas, in the case of drip non-adopters, it was Rs. 1,00,000 and Rs. 21,250.86, respectively. The economic feasibility of drip irrigation for cauliflower was judged by estimating IRR (internal rate of return), B-C ratio (benefit-cost ratio) and payback period for additional expenses that occurred in the adoption of drip irrigation and the incremental benefit was 60.15 percent, 1.66, and 1.19 years, respectively. The major constraints encountered by drip adopters was lack of access to subsidy, clogging problems and drip system damaged by animals and rodents.