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Abstract
The cost of potato cultivation has been found 17 to 24 per cent higher
under contract farming over various costs than under non-contract system,
mainly due to high investments on seeds, fertilizers and machine power.
Yield has been found 255.78 quintals per ha in the contract farms, which
is 8.84 per cent higher over the potato yield obtained from the non-contract
farms. Gross income has been Rs 99753 per ha in the contract farms as
against Rs 41572 per ha in non-contract system. The sale price of potato
has been found much higher (Rs 390/q) for contract than non-contract
farms (Rs 177 /q). The net return over operational cost (cost ‘A1’) has
been found as Rs 11882 per ha in non-contract farms, which increased
more than five-times under contract farming system, it being Rs 62982
per ha. Similarly, the net return has been found five-and-a-half times more
in contract than non-contract system over cost C1 (without rental value of
the land). The net return over cost C2 has been observed as Rs 51866 per
ha for contract farms and only Rs 800 per ha under non-contract system.
Benefit-cost ratio on various costs has been found to vary from 1.40 to
1.02 for without contract and from 2.71 and 2.08 for contract farming.
The impact of contract farming has been quite visible and remarkably
favourable on yield and profitability of potato production at the existing
pattern of resource-use and production technology prevalent in the Haryana
farming system.
The regression analysis has indicated significant influence of manure and
fertilizers and human labour on the return of potatoes grown under contract
farming situation. MVP-MFC ratios of plant protection, manure-fertilizers
and human labour have been found much higher, indicating tremendous
scope to increase the profitability in potato production under contract
farming situation whereas in the case of non-contract system, irrigation and plant protection have shown sufficient scope to raise the crop income.
The yield uncertainty has been less in contract than non-contract potato
production. There has been no price uncertainty in the contract farming of
potato whereas in the non-contract system, it exits to a large extent due
variations in the price of potatoes sold in the market. These findings have
clearly underlined the superiority of contract farming over non-contract
farming system in potato production.