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P. JAHNAVI KEERTHI PRIYA AND K. NIRMAL RAVI KUMAR*
Department of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural College, Mahanandi, ANGRAU, A.P.
DEA model was employed to analyze the resource use efficiency in maize cultivation. The findings revealed that, the number of farms operating at CRS are more in number in other farms (44%) followed by marginal (29.51%) and small farms (29.41%). Similarly, regarding the number of farmers operating at VRS, the other farms are again more in number with 72 per cent followed by small (47.06%) and marginal farms (44.27%). With reference to scale efficiency, again other farms dominate the scenario with 64 per cent followed by marginal (54.09%) and small farms (52.94%). At pooled level, 18.33 per cent of the farms are being operated at CRS with an average technical efficiency score of 0.6241 i.e., 22 out of 120 farms. Majority of the farmers (62.50%) are operating at IRS and only 25 per cent of the farmers are operating at DRS. This signifies that, more resources should be provided to these farms operating at IRS and the same should be decreased towards the farms operating at DRS. 12.5 per cent of the farms are operating at CRS indicating efficient utilization of resources. Log linear regression model was used to analyze the major determinants of input use efficiency of maize farms. Irrigation cost and fertilizer cost are the major determinants of maize farms across all the farmer categories and even at pooled level. In view of their positive influence on the CRS, it is essential to strengthen modern irrigation infrastructure like drip irrigation and offer more fertilizer subsidies to the farmer to enhance the crop production on cost-effective basis. It was also found that, the sample farmers are spending huge amount on applying chemical (carbofuran 3G) and fertilizers and hence, it is advocated to adopt INM, so as to ensure both cost effective and quality production of maize.
Maize, Resource use efficiency, Data envelopment analysis model