This paper has examined the trends in area, production and yield of major vegetables (onion, brinjal, tomato and potato) using compound growth rate analysis. It has also examined the sources of output growth of major vegetable crops using decomposition analysis. The study is based on secondary data for the period 1980–2013, which has been classified into four periods, viz. Period I (1981–81 to 1989–90), period II (1990–91 to 1999–00), period III (2000–01 to 2012–13) and overall period (1980 to 2013). It was clear from the results that the growth rate performance of major vegetable crops area, except potato, was better in overall period. The decomposition analysis of the growth of major crops over the entire study period (1980 to 2013) has revealed that growth in production of onion, brinjal and tomato was mainly due to yield effect, ranging from 3 to 107 per cent. Also, the rise in production of onion, brinjal, tomato and potato was mainly due to area effect. The study shown that about 10 per cent (for brinjal) to 359 per cent (for potato) growths were due to area effect in this region.
Horticultural crops, compound growth rate, decomposition analysis, area effect, yield effect, Tamil Nadu
