TY  - BOOK
AU  - Manoj Kumar C
AU  - Anil Kuruvila (Guide)
TI  - Small Grower tea production-a comparative economic analysis of Kerala and Tamil Nadu
U1  - 630.33 
PY  - 2023///
CY  - Vellanikkara
PB  - Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture
KW  - Agricultural Economics
N1  - MSc
N2  - Tea is the queen of beverages and a commodity of commercial significance. India 
accounts for about 23 per cent of the area under tea in the world and contributes 21 per 
cent of the global tea production. India's share in global tea exports in 2021 was 10.18 
per cent. The Tea Board of India defines small tea growers as those having areas up to
10.12 hectares and without any processing facility. Small tea growers constitute an 
integral part of the Indian tea industry. Out of the total tea produced by small tea 
growers in India, Assam accounted for the highest share of about 49 per cent followed 
by West Bengal (31%), Tamil Nadu (12%) and Kerala (6.42%) respectively. In this 
context, a comparative economic analysis of the small grower tea production in 
Tamil Nadu and Kerala was conducted with the specific objectives viz., to analyze the 
economics and efficiency of small grower tea production; to study marketing of small 
grower tea production and identify constraints faced by the small tea growers in Kerala 
and Tamil Nadu.
The study was based on primary data collected from small tea growers. Sixty 
farmers were randomly selected from each state based on multi-stage sampling method. 
The Nilgiris district was purposively selected as it accounts for 80 per cent of the area 
under tea cultivation in Tamil Nadu. Idukki and Wayanad districts were selected from 
Kerala as these districts accounted for 70 per cent and 23 per cent share of the area 
under tea cultivation in the state, thus making a total sample size of 120. Data was also 
collected from 20 market intermediaries from each state including green leaf agents, 
Self Help Groups, Primary Producer Societies, ‘Bought Leaf Factories’ and Farmer 
Producer Organizations, thus making a total sample size of 40.
The establishment costs of small tea farms were estimated as ₹3,72,752 and
₹4,16,471 per hectare for Tamil Nadu and Kerala respectively. In Tamil Nadu and 
Kerala, the weighted average maintenance cost for tea was estimated as ₹86,782
and
₹90,439 per hectare respectively. The total cost of cultivation for tea was worked out 
as ₹1,32,134 and ₹1,40,652 per hectare per year for Tamil Nadu and Kerala 
respectively. The cost of production of tea leaves was worked out as ₹13.49
and
₹13.92 per kg, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu respectively. The efficiency of tea
cultivation was analyzed using the Cobb-Douglas production function. In Tamil 
ii
Nadu, variables such as quantity of fertilizers and age of the plants were found to be
decreasing the yield

UR  - https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810208761
ER  -