International Journal of Horticulture, 2017, Vol.7, No.30, 275-287
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Table 8 revealed that the perennial Moringa is cultivated by 94 per cent of the farm households in Thoothukkudi
District. Whereas, only 84 per cent of the farm households have raised Perennial Moringa in Tiruppur District.
Only 6 per cent of the farm households are having the practice of cultivating annual Moringa in Thoothukkudi
District. But 16 per cent of the farm households are having the practice of establishing annual Moringa in their
farms of Tiruppur District. Among the annual Moringa varieties, the PKM – 1 variety found to dominate both in
Thoothukkudi District and Tiruppur District because the fresh Moringa Pods are in optimum size which
facilitates transportation to different consuming centers. Whereas, the PKM – 2 variety pods are fleshy and
lengthy which has bit difficulties in transportation. Sometimes, breakage is also visible in PKM – 2 and hence it
is less preferred among the farmers. However, the cost of production of annual Moringa is important and hence
these details are analyzed and the results are presented in Table 9.
Table 9 Costs and Return from Annual Moringa Plantations
Sl. No
Particulars of Cost
Number of
Units
Cost per
Unit in Rs
Total Cost in Rs
per Acre
Total Cost in Rs per
Ha
I
Operational Cost
01
Preparatory Cultivation and Tillage
03
700.00
2100.00
5187.00
02
Cost of Farm Yard Manure
12
400.00
4800.00
11856.00
03
Application of Farm Yard Manure
24
25.00
600.00
1482.00
04
Cost of Seed and Planting Charges
00.50 Kg
2400
1200.00
2964.00
05
Weeding Cost
54
25.00
1350.00
3334.50
06
Hiring Cost of Sprayers and its Operation
04
260.00
1040.00
2568.80
07
Cost of Pesticides and Fungicides
2500.00
6175.00
08
Cost of Neem Cake
150 Kgs
23.00
3450.00
8521.50
09
Cost of Urea
275 Kgs
06.00
1650.00
4075.50
10
Cost of Super Phosphate
100 Kgs
07.75
775.00
1914.25
11
Cost of Potash Fertilizer
130 Kgs
17.00
2210.00
5458.70
12
Cost of Harvesting (Men Hours)
68 Hours
60.00
4080.00
10077.60
13
Cost of Harvesting (Women Hours)
50 Hours
25.00
1250.00
3087.50
Total Operational Cost (I)
27005.00
66702.35(77.47)
II
Annual Fixed Cost
14
Rental Value of Land
01 Acre
7720
7720.00
19302.30
15
Land Tax, Cess, etc
01 Acre
95.00
95.00
100.00
Total Annual Fixed Cost
7815.00
19402.30(22.53)
Total Cost of Cultivation
34820.00
86104.65(100.00)
III
Gross Income
Income from Main Product (Drumstick)
14605 Kgs 12.65
184753.00
456340.53
Income from Bi-Product (Leaves)
9100 Kgs
05.00
45500.00
112385.00
Total Income from Moringa
230253.00
568725.53
IV
Cost of Production per Kg of Main Product
02.38
02.38
V
Output – Input Ratio
06.62
06.62
Note: Primary Survey; Figures in Parentheses indicate Percentage to Total
Table 9 revealed that the total operational cost incurred in respect of establishing annual Moringa is arrived at Rs.
66702/ per ha which is accounted for 77.47 per cent to the total cost of cultivation of annual Moringa. Whereas,
the annual fixed cost incurred was arrived at Rs 19402/ which is accounted for 22.53 per cent. The total cost of
establishing the annual Moringa per ha was arrived at Rs 86104/. The gross income realized by the farmer per ha
was arrived at 5.69 lakhs in which the revenue earned from main product was accounted for 80 per cent and the
bi-product accounted for only 20 per cent. The bi-product harvested was green leaves for local sales. Put together,
the cost of production of fresh Moringa pod per kg was arrived at Rs 2.38 per kg. The cost of production per ton
was arrived at rupees 2380/. However, the sale of fresh Moringa pods per ton was arrived at Rs 11750/ which has
indicated that the cultivation of annual Moringa is highly profitable as there exists good market for the produce.
Hence, the farmers can take up annual Moringa cultivation in their farm lands in general. But, specifically, as the
