Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Goregaon (East), Mumbai-400 065, Maharashtra
*Email: varun@igidr.ac.in
§This paper is drawn out of author's M Phil dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. An earlier draft of this paper was presented at the 20th Annual Conference of Agricultural Economics Research Association held at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi and at a seminar held at Delhi School of Economics, Delhi.
Jowar and bajra are the two main coarse cereals in India and are cultivated in regions with permanent geographical and climatic impediments. In this study, the total factor productivity (TFP) growth of jowar and bajra has been estimated using three different methods, viz. Solow index method, Törnqvist-Theil index method and the Malmquist index method. The first two methods impose certain theoretical restrictions while calculating TFP growth. These restrictions can be addressed by using the third method, viz. the Malmquist index method. Jowar and bajra being rainfed crops, rainfall has been considered as one of the inputs in the production of these coarse cereals in the Malmquist index method. Hence, it is argued that on a number of counts, the contemporaneous Malmquist index method of TFP measurement could be more preferable as it gives reliable TFP estimates.
Jowar, bajra, total factor productivity, Solow index method, Törnqvist-Theil index method, Malmquist index method
