Economic Analysis of Food Consumption of Farm Families in Ratnagiri District (MS)

Abstract

The availability of adequate and balanced diet holds the key to all economic developments through its effects on growth and efficiency of the human being. The information about consumption pattern of the people in the Ratnagiri district was undertaken with the sample consisted of two tahasil, eight villages and 120 households. The study revealed that the total income from all sources in the study area was found to increase with increases in size of holding. The per day per capita consumption of cereals, pulses, other vegetables, fruits, milk and milk product, nuts and oilseed, spices increased with increase in the size of holding and the consumption of flesh foods and eggs was decreased while the consumption of pulses was higher than recommended daily allowances in all the groups. The cost of diet per day per adult unit was Rs.34.48, Rs.40.47 and Rs.44.76 for small, medium and large groups respectively while the cost of diet on overall farms was 39.89 indicated that as the size of holding increased, the cost of diet per day also increased. The regression analysis both in respect of calorie and protein intake showed that size of family has negative influence for calorie and protein and the land holding has direct influence on the calorie and protein intake. Similarly, the food grain production had significant contribution in intake of both calorie and protein.