G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Hill Campus Ranichauri, Tehri Garhwal, (U.P.).
The average cost ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ were Rs. 4639.17, Rs. 5112.17 and Rs. 7726.77/ha for the cultivation of potato planted in March on the high hill farms, respectively. The seed shared the highest percentage of the operational cost being 53.68 per cent of the total cost ‘A’, followed by the bullock labour, fertilizer and manure. The use of plant protection measures was nil. The average expenditure on the human labour was Rs. 2614.60/ha. The production of potato and the gross income were highest on the smallest size group of farms due to higher use of manure and fertilizers. The average net returns over costs ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ were Rs. 8364.83, Rs. 7891.83 and Rs. 5277.23/ha, respectively. These returns were highest on the smallest size group of farms. The average benefit-cost ratio were 2.80, 2.54 and 1.68 over costs ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’, respectively. The per quintal cost of production of potato planted in March was most economic on the smallest size group. The land, human labour and seed showed highly remarkable positive impact on the yield of the crop along with the significant impact of the bullock labour and fertilizers. The MPP and MVP-price ratio were highly profitable for manure, bullock labour, fertilzer and land. Therefore, the return from potato planted in March can be made more profitable through increased use of these inputs at the existing level of production’ technology in the high hills.of Uttar Pradesh.
