Resource–use Efficiency and Technical Efficiency of Turmeric Production in Tamil Nadu — A Stochastic Frontier Approach

The resource-use efficiency and technical efficiency of turmeric production have been computed using primary data collected from 90 turmeric growers spread over three blocks in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu. The study has revealed that planting material, nitrogen, potash, harvesting and curing cost, machine hours and irrigation have a positive and significant influence on turmeric yield. Economic efficiency of these variables, except harvesting and curing cost, is more than one, indicating that these resources are being used at sub-optimum levels and there exists the possibility of enhancing the yield of turmeric by increasing their use. The technical efficiency of about 69 per cent of sample farmers has been found more than 80 per cent, which indicates the possibility of increasing the yield of turmeric by adopting better technology. Non-availability of labour has been reported the major production constraint by the turmeric growers. The study has suggested some measures to increase productivity and income of farmers in the study area.