Input-Output Structure of Marginal and Small Farmers - An Analysis

Abstract

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Indian economy. Agriculture and allied sectors, contribute nearly 22 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP of India). About 65-70 per cent of the population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. An attempt had been made to study the characteristics of sample agricultural farmers, labour utilisation and input and output structure for marginal and small farmers cultivating cereals and pulses in Tuticorin District of Tamilnadu. Multistage stratified random sampling technique has been adopted for the study. Out of 300 sample farmer's cultivations cereals and pulses, 150 sample farms are under the category of cereals and remaining 150 sample farms come under pulses. The data relates to the month of November 2011. It may be concluded from the analysis that as in the case of cereals, the marginal farmers were efficient in the use of inputs like fertilizers and pesticides and marginal farmers have produced more yields per acre than small farmers and farmer groups of pulses.

Key words: agriculture, cereals and pulses, small and marginal farmers, labour utilisation, Z-test.