Economic Benefits and Constraints in Muskmelon Cultivation in Haryana

The study was conducted in Jhajjar and Karnal districts of Haryana to assess the economic viability of muskmelon cultivation. A total of 80 responses were collected from the selected districts. The overall cost of cultivation was higher in Karnal district Rs.1,71,363.45/ha as compared to Jhajjar district Rs.1,49,600.25/ha due to the intensive use of inputs especially high-quality seed, plastic mulching, and high use of fertilizers, in the former. The muskmelon cultivation is a human labour-intensive enterprise involving both hired and family labour. The gross returns were Rs.2,22,143.03 and Rs.2,72,132.25 per hectare, while the B-C ratio was calculated to be 1.48 and 1.59, in Jhajjar and Karnal districts, respectively. The results concluded that muskmelon cultivation is a beneficial enterprise for farmers in both Jhajjar and Karnal districts. The main constraints faced by farmers were disease and pest attack incidences and unfavorable weather conditions, others being a lack of timely market information.