Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2021) 10(02): 483-501 International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 10 Number 02 (2021) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1002.057 An Investment Pattern in Banana Plantations of Tamil Nadu M. Karthikeyan1*, Zhou Deyi1 and C. Sekhar2 1Division of Agricultural Economics and Management, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China 2SRS Institute of Agriculture and Technology, Vedasandur, Tamil Nadu, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT K e yw or ds The study was aiming to address the economic incentives that are Banana, Investment associated with cultivation of different varieties of Banana in Central Tamil pattern, Costs and Nadu because the farmers in the Cauvery Belt are practicing the traditional return, Farm method of Banana cultivation instead of precision approaches. In this efficiency measures circumstance, a study has been initiated to address the reasons behind it as well as assessing the type of costs involved and the returns realized per unit Article Info of land. From this study, one could understand that the Nendran and Yelakki varieties of Banana are able to fetch considerable revenue than the Accepted: other varieties. Efficiency measures indicated that Rasthali variety is also 07 January 2021 Available Online: equally contributive but its genetic potential were not utilized by applying 10 February 2021 appropriate technologies. Introduction the world with an annual production of 297 lakh tonnes during 2013-14 which decreased Banana is the vast produced and maximum to the level of 291 lakh tonnes during the year consumed amongst the fruits cultivated in 2015-16. The reason for sliding from 297 lakh India. The area under Banana is reflecting an tonnes to 291 lakh tonnes need to be increasing trend which was raised to 8.46 lakh examined and appropriate strategies have to ha during 2015 – 16 from 6.58 lakh ha during be implemented to enhance the production the year 2007-08 registering a 29 per cent and productivity of Banana. The present increase in the area. Such increase is invisible production of Banana in the country however, in respect of annual crops other than Banana. is highly inadequate. It is appraised that, the The area and production of Banana over years present annual per capita consumption of had given a marginally increasing signal to Banana in India is 50 kg which is very low the nation (NHB, 2018). India ranks first when compared with other progressive amongst the Banana cultivating countries of Banana growing countries such as Jamaica, 483 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2021) 10(02): 483-501 Congo, Ecuador and Uganda. Thus, there is a Banana cultivated in Tamil Nadu. vast opportunity of increasing Banana production in the country to meet the needs of Materials and Methods ever increasing population. Design of the study When comparing the production data in respect of Banana over a decade of time, it In Tamil Nadu Banana cultivation is widely showed a fluctuation trend from 238 lakh practiced because of its commercial tonnes during 2007-08 and 291 lakh tonnes importance and consumer acceptance. The during the year 2015-16. In the middle of the farmers of different regions were cultivating years, the production of Banana even has Banana based on their experience gained over touched to the level of 298 lakh tonnes. In the generations. However, in Central Tamil Nadu, meantime, production of Banana faced lots of though the resources are much conducive, ups and downs due to variation in their way of practicing Banana farming is productivity which is hovering between 34 little traditional and hence special effort has tonnes to 37 tonnes per ha. It might be due to been taken to identify the Banana farmers and erratic weather and rainfall. But the data their cultivation practices and an economic revealed that the 2016-17 is being the normal appraisal was made for different varietal year and there was no much damage. Low cultivation of Banana. realization of productivity might be due to the lack of precision approaches in realizing the Selection of the study area higher productivity. For that the awareness creation exercise by the Department of The area under Banana in Tiruchirappalli Horticulture and Plantation Crops should take District is arrived at 7002 ha. When one could an appreciable effort to scale up the precision compare the area under Banana in the state of farming practices in Banana. On doing the Tamil Nadu, Trichy is in fifth place and Erode planned action of promotion of Precision District is in the first place with 12335 ha. Farming, the productivity would touch a new When one could compare the productivity of height and pave way for the higher export Banana, Coimbatore District is in the first earnings from Banana and its produce. place with 42.49 Tonnes per ha followed by 42.31 Tonnes per ha with Erode District. However, the productivity of Banana showed Tiruchirappalli District is in the Third place in a mixed trend over years revealed that the productivity revealed that there exists precision technologies applicable to Banana is potential to expand the area and yield of not at all practiced positively. If the precision Banana in Trichy district. However, Trichy technology was adopted in a phased manner, district is augmented with different varieties the production and productivity of Banana of Banana because of suitability of soil and would have touched a new peak due to climate. The varieties cultivated in sustained efforts. Another issue is investment Tiruchirappalli District are Sakkai, Poovan, cost. Though the details on cost of production Ney Poovan, Red Banana, Rasthali, Monthan, and cost of cultivation of Banana is known to Karpuravalli, Peyan, Yelakki, Nendran and the farmers through their sustained cultivation Grand Naine are cultivated widely in this practices, a comparative picture on different district and have to assess the reasons for varieties and its cost and return realization are being in the fifth place in respect of area dismal to the farming lots and hence an effort under banana, reasons for the preference of has been taken to appraise the costs and farmers to raise different varieties in their returns realizable in different varieties of farm lands for cultivation and to explore the 484 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2021) 10(02): 483-501 possibilities of enhancing the productivity of 15 villages with 300 farmers were selected as Banana in Tiruchirappalli District. The sample size for the study through multi stage Productivity of Banana is only 39 tonnes per random sampling technique. They were ha in Tiruchirappalli District. Whereas, Theni interviewed for generating primary data and Cuddalore Districts outperformed other through a structured and pretested districts and other states in terms of questionnaire designed for that purpose. Productivity of Banana and in possession of 64 tonnes and 59 tonnes respectively. In this Period of study context, assessing the reasons for low productivity too is much important to the The period of study was restricted to the researcher. agricultural year 2017-2018 (Normal Year) with normal rainfall, which is sufficient for Sampling procedure undertaking the purpose and an in-depth study. Tiruchirappalli district was once popular in area and production of Banana in Tamil Nadu The field enquiry was conducted from the and stood at the first place have been eroded month of May to November 2018 to collect in area and production of Banana during the data requirement of the study. The data recent years and stood in fifth place in terms presented are related to the agricultural year of area under Banana. Considering the of 2017. potentials available in the district, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi Design of interview schedule has also established a National Research Centre for Banana in Tiruchirappalli due to A reconnaissance survey was undertaken the favorable soil, climate and other factors before shaping the research problem and the for conducting Banana Research. On the other researcher met the farm households in person, side, the banana production and productivity officials of Department of Agriculture, was low in Tamil Nadu state, it might be due Department of Horticulture and Plantation to some pressing problems in cultivation of Crops, Department of Economics and Banana and in this circumstance it is Statistics, Tahsildars and other revenue important to the researcher to analyze the officials such as Revenue Inspectors and reasons for the reduction in area, production Village Administrative Officers to have a and productivity and hence Tiruchirappalli holistic view about the agricultural production district was purposively chosen in the first scenario especially the Banana cultivation in stage. Tiruchirappalli district consists of the study area and to ensure the availability of fourteen blocks with 507 revenue villages. consistent, relevant, accurate and adequate Among the 14 blocks available in data for the study. Additional information Tiruchirappalli District, the blocks like gathered and personal observations made Lalgudi, Anthanallur and Thottiyam occupied during the preliminary survey formed the with 75 per cent of total Banana area basis for developing hypotheses. available in Tiruchirappalli District and hence these three blocks were purposively chosen in Based on the preliminary survey, the the second stage. interview schedule was prepared in consultation with the experts in the field of Among the three blocks, five villages from agricultural economics of Tamil Nadu each block were selected at random. Totally Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The 485 Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2021) 10(02): 483-501 interview schedules thus prepared were pre- Cost concepts tested to evaluate its field applicability with some selected respondents and the The technique of tabular presentation was questionnaire has been revised and the final used to assess the cost, returns and profits of edition of the questionnaire was prepared and crops in the study area.