Economic Analysis of Oat Fodder Production: Scientific versus Traditional Methods

The comparative economics of oat (cv. JHO-822) fodder production under improved package of practices and traditional oat fodder production was made over the farmers’ fields and analysed for the period Rabi 2010–11 in Sirsa, Haryana. The technical knowhow was provided by the institute in growing the higher yield of oat fodder. For oat (JHO 822), the Average Total Cost was found as 27278.34 per hectare while in traditional oat fodder practice, the ATC was 25864.72. The share of variable cost in total cost was 70.28 percent and 69.2% in improved and traditional practice respectively. The highest expenditure in percentage term is incurred on labour followed by manures and fertilizers and draft power and seed cost in improved practice. While in traditional practice, the highest expenditure was incurred on Labour, manures and fertilizers seed and Draft power. The total expenses have increased by 5.47 percent in growing of oat (JHO-822) fodder crop with improved practices against the existing oat varieties. There is higher use of machine and labour mandays as the crop has given two cuttings in most of the fields. The green fodder yield was 10.17 percent higher and the cost of fodder produced reduced by 4.98 percent. In improved practice, the net income has increased by 17.38 in relation to traditional practice. Thus, the improved practice of oat fodder production has significant benefit to the adopting farmers.