1Department of Agricultural Economics, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli-415 712.
2Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.
*Based on the Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005.
The paper has examined the nature of technological change in the irrigated crop production in the Thane district of Maharashtra by taking the cross-sectional data from 173 farms. The Cobb-Douglas production function analysis on per hectare basis has indicated that human labour (0.0613) has a significant and positive influence on output in traditional method of irrigation (TMI). In the modem method of irrigation (MMI), fertilizer (0.4612) followed by human labour (0.3180) have significant but negative influence on crop productivity. In TMI farms the quantity of water used has been excess by 27 per cent over the economic optimum while in MMI farms, it has been only marginally higher (0.38%) over economic optimum. It reveals water conservation in MMI. The average Timmer technical efficiencies have been found as 49.97 per cent in TMI and 58.37 per cent in MMI for the irrigated crop production. There has been excessive use of factors of production (human labour, bullock labour, seed, manure, fertilizer, plant protection and irrigation expenses) to the extent of 78 to 92 per cent in TMI and 30 to 37 per cent in MMI, as revealed through frontier production function analysis for frontier users. It indicates the existence of much scope in efficient use of inputs in TMI.
