COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON THE ECONOMICS OF BANANA AND TAPIOCA CULTIVATION IN THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT IN KERALA

Thiruvananthapuram is blessed with the weather and climate suitable for the cultivation of the two major cash crops of Kerala viz. banana and tapioca. A large number of farmers in the district cultivate these crops. Hence the study was conducted in order to know the profitability of each enterprise. The total cost of cultivation of banana was found to be Rs.2,72,170 ha-1 with increasing returns to scale. The total cost of cultivation of tapioca was found to be Rs.1,81,259.60 ha-1 with constant returns to scale. Banana enterprise was found to be more profitable