1Department of Horticulture, N.M. Collage of Agriculture, Gujarat Agricultural University, Navsari-396 450, India.
2Vegetable Research Station, JAU, Junagadh.
3Retd. from N.M. Collage of Agriculture, GAU, Navsari.
To study cost and returns in different sizes of coconut holdings in Valsad district (South Gujarat), a diagnostic survey study was carried out during the year 1996–97 and 1997–98. In all 50 farmers were selected from 36 villages of six talukas of Valsad district (South Gujarat). A size of holding wise analysis of the cost of cultivation was done for bearing coconut plantation and it indicated that the cost of investment (including maintenance) was Rs. 7896.43, Rs. 7159.37, Rs.8220.00, Rs. 6603.10 and profit was Rs. 14225.71, Rs. 13066.06, Rs. 9372.07, Rs. 13413.50 per hectare for marginal, small, medium and large farmers, respectively. Input wise cost of cultivation was also worked out on the basis of different size of categories, which showed that there was not much variation between them, but the marginal size of group adopted the minimum plant protection practices. The average total cost also worked out to Rs. 7365.33/ha and profit Rs. 12702.97/ha. Input wise cost of cultivation showed that more than 50 per cent of the cost was incurred by manures and fertilizers followed by labours. Not much variation was observed in total cost among different sizes of coconut holdings. The average total cost of cultivation worked out to Rs. 9180.50 and profit Rs. 14205.12/ha. The lowest yield of 5317 nuts/ha was observed in medium size and highest yield 6446 nuts/ha in marginal size of holding.
