Economic Viability of Glory Lily Cultivation in Western Tamil Nadu: A Comprehensive Cost- Return Analysis

Tamil Nadu has a significant horticulture sector that contributes plays a vital role in the economy by generating employment, supplying raw materials to various food processing industries, and earning high profits due to high production and export earnings from foreign exchange. Glory Lily (Sengandal Flower-State Flower of Tamil Nadu) is one of the horticultural crops. The seed of glory lily is of great medicinal value and is used for various purposes in the paramedical industry. Due to its medicinal benefits, this plant, which is a source of income for Tamil Nadu farmers, grows well in Dindigul, Tiruppur and Karur districts. About 80 percent of the export-quality seeds are procured from farms in Thoppmpatty and Ottanchatram in Dindigul district, Mulanur and Dharapuram in Tiruppur district, and Aravakurichi in Karur district. Against this significance, the present paper focuses on the cost-benefit analysis of glory lily cultivation in Ottanchatram block of Dindigul district. From the sample block, seven villages were selected on the basis of number of farmers and maximum acreage under crop cultivation, where 50 farmers comprised the empirical validation. The data was analyzed using various tools like percentage, Garrett rank, and regression analysis. The main finding of the paper is that glory lily is more profitable than other crops. The main cost components in glory lily cultivation are pesticides/insecticides and labour, accounting for 66 percent and 88 percent of farmers, respectively. The yield of glory lily ranges from 400–600 kg per acre in favorable climates, but decreases to 10–200 kg under unfavourable conditions. Half of the respondents received Rs. 2000–3000 as the highest price for Glory Lily seeds. The average net profit per acre from Glory Lily cultivation is Rs. 2,29,000, with the second year being the most profitable.