Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agriculturan University, Coimbatore to identify the best mix of components from among poultry, pigeon, fish, mushroom enterprises with cropping as base activity in comparison with cropping alone under marginal lowland farming condition for two years (1993-94, 1994-95). The economics of integrated farming systems was analysed interms of gross and net returns, returns per day and benefit cost ratio for the different combinations of components integrated in this programme. Results indicated that crop + pigeon + fish+ mushroom integration was found to be superior in obtaining the highest net return to the tune of Rs. 90,252 ha year" with higher per day return and benefit cost ratio of 2.44 in marginal lowland farming situation.

Keywords: Integrated farming system, marginal lowland, returns, benefit cost ratio