International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
TP Jadhav, DB Malave, SR Torane, HV Borate and NV Dalvi

abstract
The present study was undertaken to assess the economic analysis of nursery enterprises in Raigad district, with a focus on the cost structure, profitability, and ownership pattern of mango, cashew, and arecanut graft/seedling production. A sample of 30 nurseries was surveyed, revealing that half (50%) of the nurseries were established 10–20 years ago, and the majority (76.70%) were individually owned, indicating strong private sector participation and sustained enterprise longevity. The experimental approach involved calculating per farm costs—both variable and fixed—associated with graft/seedling production across the selected crops. In case of mango, the total cost per farm was ?3,86,808, dominated by variable costs (77.07%) such as mango stones, orchard maintenance, and supervision. Per farm cashew graft production cost was ?1,93,977 with 79.80 per cent attributed to variable inputs like seednuts and orchard maintenance. Arecanut, though having the lowest total cost at ?78,860, also reflected a high variable cost ratio of 83.37 per cent, with major expenses incurred on nut procurement and maintenance. The gross returns per farm were highest for mango (?9,47,050), followed by cashew (?4,03,920) and arecanut (?1,43,640), leading to net profits of ?5,60,242, ?2,09,943, and ?64,780 respectively. This indicate that, mango generated the highest net profit per farm however arecanut yielded the highest Benefit-Cost (B:C) ratio at 2.22, compared to 1.92 for cashew and 1.69 I case of mango. These findings suggest that although mango grafts deliver the highest financial return, arecanut seedlings indicated higher profitability per rupee invested. The study concludes that nursery enterprises, particularly those focusing on mango and arecanut, are financially sustainable and profitable ventures in the region. Emphasis on improving efficiency in input use and further support for individually owned nurseries could enhance income generation and rural employment in the agriculture sector.