The present study analyzes the economics of farming operations across different farm size categories as marginal, small, and medium based on data from 100 sample farms. Marginal farmers, although owning the largest number of holdings (54%), operated only 27.04% of the total land, while medium farmers, though fewer, controlled 40.61%. Cropping intensity was highest among marginal farmers (260.66%), indicating intensive land use. The cost of cultivation increased with farm size, yet marginal farms exhibited higher cost-efficiency due to greater reliance on family labour and better input use efficiency. Key cost components across all groups included labour, planting material, fertilizers, and irrigation. In terms of returns, marginal farms outperformed others with the highest yield (233.45 quintals), gross income (?5,13,590), and net return over Cost C3 (?3,67,624.29). The cost of production per quintal was lowest for marginal farms (?625.25), reflecting better economic performance. Input-output ratios and Benefit-Cost ratios confirmed this trend, with marginal farms recording the highest B:C ratio of 1:2.52. Overall, the analysis highlights that marginal and small farms, despite limited resources, are more economically efficient and profitable compared to larger holdings due to intensive management and efficient resource use.
