Profitability and Resource-Use Efficiency of Foxtail and Kodo Millet in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu

Resource-Use Efficiency in Foxtail and Kodo Millet Farming

Abstract

Minor millets are increasingly recognized for their nutritional benefits, climate resilience, and suitability for sustainable agriculture in rainfed regions. However, empirical evidence on the comparative profitability and resource-use efficiency of foxtail millet and kodo millet cultivation in Tamil Nadu remains limited. The present study evaluated the cost structure, profitability, and allocative efficiency of major production inputs in minor millet cultivation in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu. Primary data were collected from 80 millet farmers during 2021 using a multistage random sampling technique. The study employed the Cobb–Douglas production function and Marginal Value Product (MVP)–Marginal Factor Cost (MFC) approach to assess resource-use efficiency. The results revealed that foxtail millet cultivation was relatively more profitable, with a net income of Rs. 17,942 ha-¹ and an input-output ratio of 1.48, compared to Rs. 9,737 ha-¹ and 1.32, respectively, for kodo millet cultivation. The regression analysis indicated that fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation significantly influenced millet productivity. The estimated return to scale coefficient was 2.04 for foxtail millet, indicating increasing returns to scale, while kodo millet exhibited approximately constant returns to scale (0.959). The MVP–MFC analysis showed that seeds and fertilizers were underutilized in both millet crops, whereas human labour and machine labour were over utilized in kodomillet cultivation. Diagnostic tests confirmed absence of serious multicollinearity among explanatory variables, with Variable Inflation Factor (VIF) values ranging from 1.25 to 1.63. The findings suggest that improving seed and fertilizer use efficiency through targeted extension and input support policies can substantially enhance millet productivity and farm profitability. Strengthening extension support, market infrastructure, and millet promotion programmes can further enhance the economic viability of millet cultivation and contribute to nutritional security, climate resilience, and sustainable agricultural development in semi-arid regions.