Economics and Resource Use Efficiency of Organic and Inorganic Cucumber in Bengaluru

A growing interest in environmentally friendly goods and services has been expressed together with concerns for the risks, and broader environmental problems, associated with intensive agriculture. Today, organic production is a combination of new technology and traditional methods. The present study was conducted in Bengaluru district, one of the major vegetable producing district of south Karnataka. In recent years the large numbers of farmers started practicing the organic cultivation of vegetables in the district. For the study, 45 farmers each practicing organic and inorganic cultivation of cucumber spread over the district of Bengaluru rural were selected randomly. The data collected from respondents was analysed using budgeting technique and Cobb-Douglas Production Function Analysis according to the objectives. The estimated per acre cost of cultivation of organic and inorganic cucumber was Rs. 3,14,454.75 and Rs. 2,55,139.91, respectively. The gross returns of organic cucumber were Rs. 4,50,000 per acre as against Rs. 3,00,000 for inorganic cucumber. The B:C ratio for organic cucumber was 2.60 as against 1.91 for inorganic cucumber. The resource use efficiency was higher in organic farming than that of inorganic farming practice. Hence, it is advisable for the farmers to switch over to organic farming which minimizes the environmental degradation and also brings higher net returns.