Subsistence crop vs cash crop: A Case Study of Karnataka, India

The present study was undertaken in Sira taluk of Tumakuru district of Karnataka on the basis of primary data collected from farmers growing Ragi and Sunflower in selected villages. The study used compound growth rate analysis for the period 1995-96 to 2014-15. Cobb-Douglas type production function was used to analyse resource use efficiency. Results revealed that, area under ragi and sunflower have been decreasing over the years in both Tumakuru district and Karnataka. Production of ragi showed positive growth rate in Tumakuru district with increasing productivity rates, whereas, the sunflower production was decreasing over the years even though the productivity showed a positive growth. The cultivation of sunflower was found to be profitable while the ragi cultivation was under loss. It was found that resources were not optimally utilized in both ragi and sunflower situations. The marketed surplus was 100% in case of sunflower, whereas, it was 33.27% in case of ragi. The marketing channel producer-consumer was found to be most profitable in case of ragi, where as producer to oil-mill trader was the profitable channel for sunflower with producer receiving 96% of consumer rupee.