Only 57% cereal investments

Only 57 per cent of the money invested per hectare in coarse cereals is recoverable, on an average, according to a new study on horticulture by ICRIER. About 28 million hectares are under coarse cereals like jowar, bajra, maize and ragi. Coarse cereals are the most unprofitable among all major crops, with ragi being the worst offender, returning only 50 per cent of the money invested.

These results are based upon a cost benefit analysis in the study, based on data from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices. “70-80 per cent of the farmers are small or marginal,” said ICRIER researcher Surabhi Mittal.