An economic analysis of cluster bean production in Bikaner District of Rajasthan

Cluster Bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub) commonly known as Guar, is a drought and high temperature tolerant deep-rooted summer annual legume crop cultivated mainly in the Kharif season in an arid region and used as animal feed, fodder, green manure and extraction of gum for industrial uses. India is the largest producer of cluster bean and contributes 80 percent of total cluster bean production in the world. Rajasthan is the single largest producer and alone contributed to more than 70 percent of India's total output. The increased demand for guar gum resulted in a strong escalation of the prices of cluster bean. Looking at the agricultural and industrial importance of this marginalized crop in Rajasthan, particularly realizing the potential in Bikaner district of the state, the present study attempted to analyze the present scenario of the production of cluster bean crops in Bikaner district of the state. A return per rupee invested in cluster bean crop was higher in the small farm (1:1.38) and marginally lowers on the medium farm (1:1.35). Break-even guar production ranged between 4.26 to 5.19 q per ha in small farm, 4.16 to 4.99 q per ha in medium and 3.98 to 4.94 q per ha on a large farm.