Description
The study examines cost of cultivation, gross returns, net returns, and benefit-cost ratios across 63 cropping systems at 17 centers, comparing organic, integrated, and inorganic approaches.
Findings
Despite higher cultivation costs in some cases, organic farming often proved more profitable due to premium prices and lower input costs. Natural farming showed very favorable economics with much lower costs and higher profits. The integrated approach also showed benefits in many cases.
Stats
Cost of cultivation was highest with organic approach in 63% of cropping systems.
Gross returns were highest with organic approach in 49% of cropping systems.
Net returns were highest with organic approach in 64% of cropping systems.
In 67% of cropping systems, mean net returns with organic were higher than inorganic.
Despite higher cost of cultivation in 51 cropping systems, net returns were highest in 63% of these systems with organic approach.
Benefit-cost ratio was highest with organic approach in 21% cropping systems, compared to 13% integrated and 66% inorganic.
Benefit-cost ratio was higher with organic in 56% cropping systems compared to inorganic.