Economics of Onion Production in Nashik District of Maharashtra

Nashik district is leading in onion production it covers 12.38 per cent of total in the State. A sample of 80 onion growers was selected randomly from 4 villages in Niphad tahsils of Nashik district of Maharashtra State. Onion cultivation is concentrated in the eastern part of the Nashik district. The selected cultivators were classified into three categories i.e. small (below 2 ha), medium (2-4 ha) and large (above 4 ha) based on land holding size of the farmers. The primary data were collected by survey method with the help of pre-tested schedule of questionnaire through personal interview. In view of this, an attempt in this study is made to study profitability and resource productivity in onion production in Nashik district. The average price received was Rs. 910.20, Rs. 977.00 and Rs. 1020.00 per quintal for small, medium and large farmers, respectively. The average net returns over cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ obtained was only cost ‘A’ Rs. 4121.39, Rs. 6653.29 and Rs. 4810.12 and negative return s obtained were cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ Rs. -3215.31, Rs. -1349.56 Rs. -3636.60, Rs.- 7346.81, Rs. -5338.56 and Rs. -6920.60 for small, medium and large farmers, respectively. The average cost of production per quintal of onion were worked out of be at cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ was Rs. 818.61, Rs. 831.41 and Rs. 915.65 for small farmers, Rs. 981.65, Rs. 1006.53 and Rs. 1098.88 for medium farmers and Rs.1073.46, Rs.1093.81 and Rs. 1170.12 for large farmers. The average input-output ratio at cost ‘A’, cost ‘B’ and cost ‘C’ were worked out to be 1:1.11, 1:1.17, 1:1.11 and 1:0.92,1:0.97, 1:0.92 and 1:0.84, 1:0.89, 1:0.87 for in large farmers followed by medium and small farmers group.