RESOURCE USE EFFICIENCY OF HYBRID MAIZE PRODUCTION IN CHHINDWARA DISTRICT OF MADHYA PRADESH

Maize is considered the third most important cereal crop after rice and wheat in the world. Hybrid maize under optimum crop production, protection and nutrient management can produce economically more yield as compared to commercial varieties. Recently some new hybrids are evolved and it is necessary to evaluate their comparative performance. There is a wide scope for increasing area and production in the district. In this situation it is essential to know the reasons of low adoption of improved practices. Thus, present study was canvassed to know the existing knowledge and adoption gap among the farming community of maize growers of the Chhindwara district. The study was conducted on 60 hybrid maize growers (20 from each category according to their size of holding) Chhindwara block of Chhindwara district because of having maximum area and production under hybrid maize crop. The findings indicate that total cost per hectare incurred in hybrid maize production on sample farm was Rs. 34700.76 which decreased as the farm size increased. The proportion of operational cost and fixed cost to total cost on sample farm was 63 and 38 of the total cost was alone contributed byowned and family labours which varied between 38 to 40 per cent on different farm. The cost of cultivation according to various cost concepts (Cost A1 to CostC3) in different size of farms decreased as the farm size increased.