Economic analysis of scientific sorghum fodder production technology and its comparative impact on farmers’ livelihood

Abstract

Sorghum is a warm-season annual that is used for silage production and fed to dairy cattle in many regions of the India. The economics of sorghum fodder crop (cv. JHO-822) production under the farmer's fields was analysed for the period of kharif 2011-12 to kharif 2012-13 in Datia, M.P. A total of 12 farmers were taken during kharif 2011 and 9 farmers were guided about the scientific fodder production practices. At the same time, 6 farmers were selected in 2011 and 5 in 2012 that were growing local seed of sorghum and adopting traditional methods of fodder production. The total working capital is ` 14907.03 per hectare and total variable cost is ` 15354.24 which is 67.53 per cent of total cost. The average total cost is found as ` 22738.20 per hectare. Thus the highest expenditure in percentage term is incurred on labour followed by manures and seed cost and draft power. On per hectare basis the average fodder production was 523.89 quintals. The average rate of green fodder is taken as ` 100 per quintal. It is the rate at which the farmers sell their green fodder in the market. The total value of green fodder that is total return is found as ` 52388. The net return is ` 29650.68 per hectare. The average benefit cost ratio at farm only is found as 2.31. Impact of sorghum fodder (MP Chari) crop was studied in relation to the existing fodder crop of sorghum grown by the farmers in Datia (M.P.). The green fodder yield was 13.03 per cent higher and the gross return is also increased by 13.03 per cent over the traditional practice.