1Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur, P.G. Palayam (P.O), Salem District—636 119, Tamil Nadu
This study has investigated the changes in the pattern of chemical usage at farm level over the years, the potential and the constraints in adoption of organic agriculture and has finally drawn a few implications from them. It is based on the data collected from farmers under the scheme ‘Cost of Cultivation of Principal Crops’ (CCPC) for the period 1980–1981 to 1999–2000. The Cobb-Douglas production function has been fitted to quantify the effect of inputs used on the gross returns received from farm outputs. The results of production function have shown that amongst the various inputs, labour, fertilizer and crop specialization have significantly influenced the farm output. The factor share analysis has revealed that specialization contributed highest gross return and the contribution of fertilizer was much higher than that of organic manure. The major obstacles in practising pure organic agriculture have been identified as limited technological options, large managerial costs and risk in shifting to a new system of farming from the conventional farming, low awareness about the organic farming systems and its technology, lack of marketing and technical infrastructure and added cost by way of inspection, certification and residue testing if the produce is to be marketed under ‘organic’ label. At the existing development, complete elimination of chemicals in raising the crops may not be possible, and it would be wiser to phase out the use of the chemicals systematically. In the same note, it is not to impede the opportunities, the organic farming offers for crops that have export demand with organic label. The technologies for a judicious combination of both organic and inorganic sources of nutrients for the soil, management of pests and diseases through bio-control measures need popularization.
