An Economic Analysis of Organic Farming Systems in Gadag District of Karnataka (India) (Published)
Mounting awareness of health and environmental issues in agriculture has demanded production of organic food which is emerging as an attractive source of rural income generation. India has traditionally been a country of organic agriculture, but the growth of modern scientific, input intensive agriculture has pushed it to wall. But with the rising awareness about the safety and quality of foods, long term sustainability of the system and accrue evidences of being equally productive, the organic farming has emerged as an alternative system of farming which not only address the quality and sustainability concerns, but also ensures a debt free, profitable livelihood option. The present study has analyzed the cost and returns of major identified organic farming systems Viz. organic farming system-I: Green gram+ Sorghum+ Dairy, organic farming System-II: Groundnut + Maize + Dairy and organic farming system-III : Cotton+ Chilli + Onion + Mango in Gadag district of Karnataka State by collecting primary data from 95 organic growers for the period 2011-12. The analysis of cost and returns in major identified organic farming systems in the study area revealed that, the net returns realized by the farmers was found to be maximum in organic farming system-III (Rs.97437) as compared to other farming systems identified in the study area. In addition to crop enterprises, Horticulture enterprise, Mango cultivation was found to be one of the important associated enterprises along with dairy enterprise practiced by the sample farmers and major income source in the study area. The analysis revealed that, the share of dairy alone in the major organic farming system-I and II contributed for 38.83 per cent and 34.77 per cent to the gross returns respectively. Among six identified farming systems in the study area FS-III of Gadag was found to be profitable based on the net returns obtained from the farming systems as whole enterprise. The suggests that, efforts should be made through Raitha Samparka Kendra and Krishi Vigyana Kendra to popularize these farming systems in the study area to utilize farm resources efficiently to enhance productivity and profitability.
Keywords: Dairy, Gadag organic farming systems, Mango cultivation