Economics of Production and Value Addition of Groundnut in South Konkan region of Maharashtra

This paper has reported economics and production of groundnut in Konkan region of Maharashtra. For study, data from 120 sample farmers was collected and analysis has shown the cost of cultivation to be 79292/ha for rainfed and 84520/ha for summer group. The gross returns obtained were 89886/ha for rainfed group and 104501/ha for summer group. While the net returns obtained at cost C were 10594/ha and 19982/ha for rainfed and summer group, respectively. The benefit-cost ratio was worked out to be 1.13 for rainfed and 1.24 for summer groundnut. The analysis of value addition has indicated that gross returns obtained after processing of one quintal of groundnut were 7134/ha. There was 58.65 per cent increase in gross returns and 45.33 per cent increase in net returns after processing of 1 quintal of groundnut. The major constraint stated by farmers were non-availability of quality seed, non-availability of labour and lack of oil mills in production area. The farmers need to be motivated to grow this crop on a large scale and sale groundnut in oil form rather in raw form.