Abstract

In Bulletin No. 40 of the Madras Agricutural Department on the economic condition of the ryot in the Vizagapatam district, and how to improve it", the net annual cash income from an average holding of about 5 acres supporting a family of 5 adults (2 children being considered equi- valent to 1 adult) and consisting of both wet and dry land partly command- ing facilities for well-irrigation was estimated at Rs. 137. Adding the value of food grains consumed, the total family income of an owner-cultivator works out to Rs. 237. To enable the productive capacity and the costs of cultivation of each kind of land, to be judged, the economics of 5 acre hold- ings of wet and dry lands with and without a well, under normal cropping suitable for each, are now presented. Crop-var data were worked out in detail, as well as the croping schemes, the cost of cultivation and the esti- mated yield from each kind of holding. A summary of the figures there- from is given in Table I for ready reference and comparative study. The family incomes which a lessee manager (one who takes land on lease and cultivates it entirely with hired labour), a lessee cultivator (one who takes land on lease but cultivates it with as much of his family labour possible supplemented by hired labour), an owner-manager and an owner cultivator respectively, derive from each kind of holding are shown therein. The family income of a lessee manager represents the net business income, all cultivation expenses and the lease amount (interest on the value of the land plus other equipment plus assessment) being deducted from the gross value of the produce. The family income of a lessee cultivator will be the above, phus the wages of permanent labour saved by the cultivator's family working on the land. The owner manager's family income consists of the lessee manager's income plus the lease amount minus the assessment. The owner- cultivator's income is the above, plus the wages of the permanent labour saved.

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