Fodder Production and Grassland Management

Bajra napier

COST OF CULTIVATION OF CUMBU NAPIER HYBRID GRASS (IRRIGATED CROP)

Sprinkler irrigation

S. No.	Heads of work	Rupees
I.	Field preparation
1.	One disc/mould board plough with tractor
2.	Working with tiller/harrow - 2 times
3.	Forming ridges and furrows - 1 pair with bund former/ridge plough + 1man @ Rs. /man and Rs. /pair
4.	Rectification of ridges and furrows 15 men @ Rs. /man
	Total
II.	Seeds and Sowing
1.	Cost of 40,000 rooted slips (50 x 50 cm spacing) @ Rs.130/1000 numbers
2.	5% extra root slips for gap filling etc. (2000 root slips @ Rs. /1000)
3.	Cost of transport of rooted slips
4.	Planting of rooted slips - 15 women @ Rs. /- woman
	Total
III.	Manures and fertilizers
1.	Application of FYM/compost @ 25 t/ha @ Rs. /t (including transport)
2.	Basal dose of 50:50:40 kg NPK/ha (Urea: Rs. /kg; Super: Rs. /kg; Potash: Rs. /kg)
3.	Cost of fertilizer application - 1 man and 5 women - @ Rs. /man; Rs. /woman
4.	Cost of top dressing nitrogen after every harvest –7 times @ 100 kg N/ha/each harvest i.e. 7 x 100= 700 kg N, 1139 kg urea @ Rs. /kg)
5.	Cost of fertilizer application for 7 times @ 1 man and 5 women for every time
	Total
IV.	Weeding and earthing up
1.	Two weedings - on 20th and 40th day before first harvest and one weeding after every cut. Totally 7 cuts (i.e. 7+2 = 9 weeding, @ 10 women for cleaning the trashes and weeding, 9 x 10 = 90 women @ Rs. / woman)
2.	Earthing up after every harvest (7 harvest) @ 10 men for 7 earthing up, 7x10 = 70 men @ Rs. /man
	Total
V.	Irrigation
	At the rate of one irrigation for every 10 days for 365 days = 37 irrigations. Deduct 10 irrigation giving allowance for rainy season i.e. 37-10 = 27 irrigations @ 2 men per irrigation, 27 x 2 = 54 men @ Rs. /man
VI.	Plant protection : Generally not needed
VII.	Harvest
	7 cuttings @ 15 women/cutting = 105 women @ Rs. /woman

• Yield: 350 t/ha in 7 cuts /year

Operations Cost (Rs./ha) Percentage share

• Field preparations
• Seeds and sowing
• Manures and fertilizers
• Weeding & earthing up
• Irrigation
• Plant protection
• Harvest
  • Total: Rs.
• The grass can be maintained economically for three years. In 2^nd and 3^rd year, there will be recurring expenditure only on the following items :
  • Top dressing:
  • Cost of fertilizer application:
  • 7 weeding and 7 earthing up:
  • Irrigation:
  • Harvest:
    • Total: Rs.

Income statement for three years period
Year	Expenditure(Rs./ha)	Income (Rs./ha)
I	350 t green fodder @ Rs. /t	Rs.
II	350 t green fodder @ Rs. /t	Rs.
III	350 t green fodder @ Rs. /t	Rs.
	Total Rs.
Net income at the end of 3rd year		Rs.
Average net income per year		Rs.
Benefit cost ratio