# Enhancing Farmer's Income through Sugarcane Based Pulse Inter Cropping System Under North Bihar Condition: Economic Perspective

Shiva Pujan Singh, Md. Minnatullah, Ajeet Kumar

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Shiva Pujan Singh, Md. Minnatullah, Ajeet Kumar. Enhancing Farmer's Income through Sugarcane Based Pulse Inter Cropping System Under North Bihar Condition: Economic Perspective. 2021, pp.3 (6): 176-178. hal-05460069

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# Enhancing Farmer's Income through Sugarcane Based Pulse Inter Cropping System Under North Bihar Condition: Economic Perspective

Article ID: 11062

Shiva Pujan Singh¹, Md. Minnatullah¹, Ajeet Kumar¹

¹Assistant Professor -cum- Scientist, Sugarcane Research Institute, RPCAU, PUSA (Samastipur), Bihar.

## Abstract

This article has assessed the Economics of Sugarcane based intercropping system and its effects on productivity and profitability at farm level situation alongside. Every year sugarcane farmers face financial crisis, due to delay payment by sugarcane factory. keeping in mind these facts, six pulse intercropping system i.e., Sugarcane + Rajma, Sugarcane + Lentil, Sugarcane + Pea, Sugarcane + Gram, Sugarcane + Green gram and sugarcane+ Black gram were assessed on farm with sugarcane sole crop as a control. It has been observed that, sugarcane+ Rajma as intercrop was highest net return per hectare Rs. 166399 followed by Gram, Lentil, Green gram, Pea and Black gram Rs. 141833, Rs. 141000, Rs. 137760, Rs. 127420 and Rs. 125844 respectively. Thus Sugarcane + Rajma intercrop emerged best fit (B : C ratio-1.77) as compared to other options in the study area.

## Introduction

Intercropping has been recognized an excellent practice to increase total yield, high monetary returns and greater resources utilization and fulfil the diversified need of farms.

The increasing food needs due to mounting population pressure and progressively shrinking per capita agricultural land availability warranted the intensification of cropping system in the country which is possible mainly through the selection of suitable and most profitable crop and cropping systems. The approach involves sequential as well as intercropping and mixed cropping systems aimed at efficient utilization of natural and man-made resources of production.

Every farmer wants to get extra income from their investment within shortage possible time. Sugarcane is a long duration crop and requires 12-16 months to mature, soil is difficult for the growers especially poor sugarcane growers to wait such a long time to get economic return from sugarcane hence there is ample scope to grow short duration, high value and mid-season income generating crops as intercrops. Inter cropping not only gives additional incomes to the growers but also provide money during mid-season for further need based utilization.

## Cane Intercropping Research

The two countries where intercropping of cane is practiced widely on commercial scale of population for its land area yet almost 90% of its arable area is devoted to sugarcane, leaving no new land available for the production of food crops. Mauritius starting investing the economics of intercropping cane over 50 years ago.

For study Samastipur district of north Bihar was selected purposively, since it was one of the major sugarcane based intercropping area. The data was collected through survey method for information required for the study. A number of crops as intercrops with sugarcane has been tested at Sugarcane Research Institute, RPCAU, Pusa, Samastipur, the main aim to get increased total productivity per unit area and time, besides equitable and judicious utilization of land and other resources. A core selection of crops can reduce the mutual competition to a considerable extent.

As the scope of extensive cultivation is limited. The research on the multiple cropping sequences gains importance. An in-depth study of different and their relative economic significance with reference to both time and space sequence would enable identification of the most efficient crops in a region. Increase the knowledge on the multifunctional role of intercropping like production level and stability resource use,
environmental impacts and product quality of inter crops. The higher production and profitability (return and profit) under sugarcane based intercropping system may be achieved through – several profitable and sustainable research recommendations have been developed for the successful intercropping of various crops in sugarcane.

## Comparative Profitability of Sugarcane with Autumn Pulse Crops

In Bihar sugarcane is planted in two distinct seasons i.e., autumn (October-November) and spring (February-March), hence, intercrops of both the seasons are also different. In autumn-planted Sugarcane Rajma, Lentil, Pea and Gram can be grown as intercrops for better yield and sustainability in farmer's field.

The per hectare total cost incurred and returns realized from (Sugarcane + pulses) were calculated and presented below.

The table represents per hectare estimated gross returns, total costs and net returns for sugarcane with that of pulse intercrops, one year rotation viz. Sugarcane + Rajma, Sugarcane + Lentil, Sugarcane + Pea and Sugarcane + Gram on an average the net return per hectare from sugarcane + Rajma was about 35.16 percent more than that of sugarcane sole crop, followed by sugarcane + gram (15.21%), Sugarcane + lentil (14.53%) and sugarcane + Pea (3.50%) respectively.

The economics of different intercrops was worked out and found that sugarcane + Rajma were the best combination which gave highest net returns (Rs. 166399 ha⁻¹) and the highest B : C ratio (1.77) as compare to sugarcane + gram and sole cane.

The second highest net returns (Rs. 141000-ha) and the B : C ratio (1.66) in sugarcane + lentil intercropping systems also reflected the same.

However, autumn sugarcane + Rajma has also been reckoned profitable as well as sustainable one due to additive nutrient synergies in the system. Moreover, intercrop rajma in autumn sugarcane improved soil fertility through entire leaf fall at pod maturity besides root mass addition.

## Sugarcane with Pulse Crop in the Spring Season

The pulse like Green gram and Black gram have also been recommended as intercrop in spring sugarcane. The companion cropping of sugarcane with high value medicinal, vegetable for seed purpose for remunerative rather than growing the sole crop of sugarcane.

Growing pulses with sugarcane crop not only increases the area under pulse crop but also reduce the intensity of weeds and provide mid-season income to house holds for further use of critical inputs to sugarcane along with additional employment opportunities.

However highest cane yield (890 t ha⁻¹) was obtained with intercropping of sugarcane with summer moong followed by intercropping with summer Green gram (860 t ha⁻¹) and sole cane (985 t ha⁻¹) on an average the net return per hectare from sugarcane + Green gram gave highest net return of (Rs. 1,37760 ha⁻¹) and the highest B : C ratio (1.66) as compared to sugarcane + black gram (Rs. 1,25844 ha⁻¹) and sole crop only (Rs. 120708 ha⁻¹), respectively.

## Conclusion

Thus, the inclusion of short duration pulses intercrops like Rajma, lentil, pea and Gram in autumn planted sugarcane may improve the socio-economic status of small and marginal cane growers by generating mid-season income.

Besides providing higher system profitability, intercropping of legumes also improve soil health and makes the plant-ratoon system sustainable.

## Reference

1. Singh Atar, Dubey S.K, Pandey Sandhaya, Singh Rajeev, Singh Maneesh (2019), Sugarcane based intercropping system and its effect on productivity and profitability. International conference, Sugarcane – 2019: PP- 180

2. Singh K.M, Verma S.K, Prasad N, and Singh L.B. (2018). Doubling Farmer's income by cultivating intercrop in Sugarcane. International Jr. of Agricultural invention 3(1), 87-88, June 2018

3. Saini S.K (2009) Sugarcane based cropping system and their management. Souvenir, Group meeting of AICRP on Sugarcane, SRI, PUSA PP- 23-26.
<table><caption>Table: Production potential and economic analysis of sugarcane-based pulses cropping system:</caption><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Cropping system</th><th colspan="2">Yield (q/ha)</th><th rowspan="2">Cost of cultivation (Rs./ha)</th><th rowspan="2">Gross return (Rs./ha)</th><th rowspan="2">Net return (Rs./ha)</th><th rowspan="2">Additional Income increases over sole sugarcane (Rs./ha)</th><th rowspan="2">B:C ratio</th></tr><tr><th>Sugarcane</th><th>intercrops</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Autumn Cane</td><td>1000</td><td>-</td><td>186892</td><td>310000</td><td>123108</td><td>-</td><td>1.66</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Rajma</td><td>850</td><td>17</td><td>216101</td><td>382500</td><td>166399</td><td>43291 (35.16)</td><td>1.77</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Lentil</td><td>930</td><td>13</td><td>212300</td><td>353300</td><td>141000</td><td>17892 (14.53)</td><td>1.66</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Pea</td><td>870</td><td>17</td><td>218780</td><td>346200</td><td>127420</td><td>4312 (3.50)</td><td>1.58</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Gram</td><td>830</td><td>20</td><td>215467</td><td>357300</td><td>141833</td><td>18725 (15.21)</td><td>1.66</td></tr><tr><td>Spring cane</td><td>985</td><td>-</td><td>184642</td><td>305350</td><td>120708</td><td>-</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Black gram</td><td>890</td><td>8</td><td>206056</td><td>331900</td><td>125844</td><td>5136 (4.26)</td><td>1.61</td></tr><tr><td>Sugarcane + Green gram</td><td>860</td><td>10</td><td>208840</td><td>346600</td><td>137760</td><td>17052 (14.13)</td><td>1.66</td></tr></tbody></table>

Note: Figures in parenthesis indicate percentage.

Selling price (Rs.):

<table><thead><tr><th>Crop</th><th>Rs./q</th><th>Crop</th><th>Rs./q</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Sugarcane</td><td>310/q</td><td>Gram</td><td>5000=00</td></tr><tr><td>Rajma</td><td>7000=00</td><td>Black gram</td><td>7000=00</td></tr><tr><td>Lentil</td><td>5000=00</td><td>Green gram</td><td>8000=00</td></tr><tr><td>Pea</td><td>4500=00</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>