The study has estimated yield gap as well as profitability of sugarcane production by collecting primary data for the year 2013–14 from growers of different planting materials (67 adsali, 39 pre-seasonal, 38 suru and 154 ratton) of sugarcane. The study has revealed that the use of chemical fertilizers was in excess than the recommended doses in the case of suru, ratoon and adsali plantings. In Ahmednagar district, the benefit-cost ratio was highest in ratoon sugarcane (1.65), followed by adsali (1.36) and suru (1.19) sugarcane types. The inputs used by the sugarcane growers for all the planting types were less than the recommended doses, except chemical fertilizers. The application of manure was much less almost on all types of sugarcane farms. More than 25 per cent output gap has been observed in all the planting types. Therefore, the study has suggested judicious and balanced use of all the inputs for getting better output of sugarcane and increased farm profitability.
Resource use, costs and return, sugarcane, Maharashtra
