International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.30, 275-287
287
per ha. This is comparatively more because Tiruppur farm households able to receive an average price of Rs
12.65 per kg of Moringa pods. Whereas, the farm households at Thoothukkudi District is able to receive an
average price of Rs 10.50 per kg of Moringa vegetables. It is mainly due to the export competitiveness available
in Tiruppur and the demanding firms are checking the quality of the produce and offer best price. The Tiruppur
produce naturally commands best price due to its taste because of its cultivation made in calcium rich soils.
On discounting the values of income and investment over years using 12 per cent discount rate, the Thoothukkudi
farm households are able to generate the Net Present Value of Rs 11.39 lakhs while the Tiruppur counterparts are
able to secure net present value of Rs 15.07 lakhs. The Benefit Cost Ratio was arrived at 4.17 and 5.07 in respect
of Thoothukkudi farm households and Tiruppur farm households revealed that the farmers respectively could
earn a profit of Rs 4.17 and 5.07 for a rupee of investment in the establishment and maintenance activities of
Moringa. The study conducted by Ritambhara Singh during the year 2017 in Gujarat State has arrived the Benefit
Cost Ratio to the tune of 10.76 for a rupee of investment and the NPV under normal cost and return was arrived
at Rs 25.24 lakhs per ha and the IRR was estimated at 95.53 per cent. In this study, the returns are valued at lower
price per unit of the produce. None other enterprises are able to provide such returns and hence the area under
horticulture particularly Moringa can best be encouraged by the extension functionaries in their respective
districts.
On analyzing the economic worthiness of annual Moringa, the annual Moringa established by the farm
households could generate a net income of Rs 4.83 lakhs per annum with the cost of production of Rs 2380 per
ton of Moringa vegetables. On an undiscounted term, the Output-Input ratio is arrived at 6.62 revealed that the
farmers are able to generate a gross income of Rs 6.62 per rupee of investment. The Return on Investment figure
revealed that the farm households whom are capable of establishing the annual Moringa in their farms, could
generate 5.60 as their profit per unit of investment.
7 Summary and Conclusions
Economic analysis of Moringa orchards revealed that the plantations are capable of generating higher return per
unit of the produce. This was proved with the data provided by the Benefit Cost Ratio, Net Present Value and
Internal Rate of Return. The Benefit Cost Ratio was arrived at 4.17 and 5.07 in respect of Thoothukkudi farm
households and Tiruppur farm households revealed that the farmers respectively could earn a profit of Rs 4.17
and 5.07 for a rupee of investment in the establishment and maintenance activities of Moringa. None other
enterprises are able to provide such returns and hence the area under horticulture particularly Moringa can best be
encouraged by the extension functionaries in their respective districts by infusing technology to the farm
households and the area expansion could be achieved which is one of the focal area of National Mission on
Horticulture. With regard to Post Harvest Management practices, the steps involved in processing of Moringa
leaves to protect the Chlorophyll content and the appearance of the leaf powder is also discussed.
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