High labour costs plague cultivation in South
Labour costs have surpassed that of materials in southern cotton cultivation.
By Gayathri G, TNN |
COIMBATORE: Labour costs have surpassed that of materials in southern cotton cultivation, according to an analysis by the Cotton Development and Research Association of the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA-CDRA). While the labour cost was higher at 73% than material cost at 27% in all cultivation centres taken for analysis, operations such as manures and manuring, post-cultivation practices, harvesting and plant protection accounted for major share in the cost of cultivation.
Major share in cultivation cost is accounted by manures and manuring at 20.3 %, followed by after-cultivation cost at 16.55% and the harvest cost 13.9%.
The analysis was done in five main summer cotton growing tracts for 2006 and five winter cotton centres in the 2006-07 season. The centres covered in summer crop analysis were Villupuram, Panruti, Kumbakonam, Konganapuram, Rajapalayam, Udumalpet and Bijapur (Karnataka) while those taken into account for winter crop were Attur, Theni, Udumalpet and Guntur (Andhra Pradesh).
“The study revealed that labour cost was higher in Tamil Nadu than Karnataka. Labour cost stood at Rs 10,800 per acre against material cost of Rs 4,200 an acre in Tamil Nadu which is at least 20-30% lower than Karnataka,” TV Karivaradaraju, chief advisor, SIMACDRA, told ET.
The mean cost of cultivation (during summer 2006) per acre for pure crop of cotton ranged between Rs 8,263 and Rs 12,675.
Major share in cultivation cost is accounted by manures and manuring at 20.3 %, followed by after-cultivation cost at 16.55% and the harvest cost 13.9%.
The analysis was done in five main summer cotton growing tracts for 2006 and five winter cotton centres in the 2006-07 season. The centres covered in summer crop analysis were Villupuram, Panruti, Kumbakonam, Konganapuram, Rajapalayam, Udumalpet and Bijapur (Karnataka) while those taken into account for winter crop were Attur, Theni, Udumalpet and Guntur (Andhra Pradesh).
“The study revealed that labour cost was higher in Tamil Nadu than Karnataka. Labour cost stood at Rs 10,800 per acre against material cost of Rs 4,200 an acre in Tamil Nadu which is at least 20-30% lower than Karnataka,” TV Karivaradaraju, chief advisor, SIMACDRA, told ET.
The mean cost of cultivation (during summer 2006) per acre for pure crop of cotton ranged between Rs 8,263 and Rs 12,675.
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