Profitability of traditional pulse crop cultivation - a study of horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum Lam.) in the Kumaun hills of Uttarakhand

The study was based on a sample survey of 60 farmers randomly selected from mid hills and high hills of two blocks of Almora district of Kumaon division of Uttarakhand with aim to examine the profitability of horse gram crop. The per hectare cost of cultivation at Cost C₃ was about Rs. 8395 and net returns over this cost was Rs. 8905 in the study area. The productivity of horse gram crop was higher in mid hills with 2.90 quintals per hectare. The net returns over Cost C₃ were positive indicating that crop was profitable on commercial basis. The material cost accounted for only about 26 per cent in total cost of cultivation. Per hectare cost of cultivation at Cost B₂ in mid hills was about 1 per cent higher than that of high hills. The net returns per hectare over Cost A₁ was more than 12% in mid hills.