Authors : Dr. Prajisha P.; Dr. Rahul K.; Dr. Rajimol M. S.; Adithya Mohanan

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 9 - September

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/2scr5p8d

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26sep1391

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : Plantation agriculture plays an important role in the livelihood of farming households in Meenangadi Grama Panchayat, Wayanad, where coffee and pepper are the major commercial crops. However, farmers face several challenges, including irregular rainfall, pest and disease incidence, labour scarcity, rising wage rates, increasing cultivation costs and fluctuations in market prices. Organic farming has emerged as an environmentally sustainable alternative, but its economic viability compared with conventional farming requires closer examination at the micro level. This study examines the socio-economic characteristics, farming practices, constraints, and profitability of organic and conventional coffee–pepper farming in Meenangadi Grama Panchayat. A descriptive and analytical research design was adopted, and primary data were collected through personal interviews from 120 farm households, comprising 60 organic and 60 conventional farmers. Secondary data were obtained from government publications, institutional reports and relevant academic literature. The study compares the costs, gross returns, net returns and Benefit–Cost Ratio (BCR) of the two farming systems. The findings indicate that both organic and conventional farms generated positive returns over the measured cost of cultivation. Organic farms incurred substantially lower mean per hectare cultivation costs, whereas conventional farms recorded higher mean gross and net returns. However, the difference in the Benefit Cost Ratio between the two farming systems was not statistically significant, suggesting comparable economic efficiency relative to investment. The major constraints faced by organic farmers include market uncertainty, price fluctuations, high labour costs, certification difficulties and limited institutional support. The study concludes that organic plantation farming is economically viable in the study area, although its relative profitability cannot be established conclusively. Strengthening market linkages, certification support, extension services and productivity-enhancing measures is essential for improving its long-term economic sustainability.

Keywords : Organic Farming, Conventional Farming, Plantation Agriculture, Coffee; Pepper, Cost of Cultivation, Farm Profitability, Benefit Cost Ratio.

References :

1. Gomiero T, Pimentel D, Paoletti MG. Is there a need for a more sustainable agriculture? Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 2011;30(1-2):6-23. doi:10.1080/07352689.2011.553515.
2. Reganold JP, Wachter JM. Organic agriculture in the twenty-first century. Nature Plants. 2016;2:15221. doi:10.1038/nplants.2015.221.
3. Karunakaran N, Sadiq MS. Socio economic aspect of organic farming practices for improving farmer’s income in some locations of Kerala, India. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research. 2019;44(3):401-408. doi:10.3329/bjar.v44i3.43474.
4. Chandran N, Prabitha PB. A study on the challenges faced by coffee growers of Kaniyambetta Panchayat of Wayanad District. International Journal of Advances in Agricultural Science and Technology. 2020;7(11):145-156. doi:10.47856/IJAAST.2020.v07i11.018.
5. Cacek T, Langner LL. The economic implications of organic farming. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture. 1986;1(1):25-29. doi:10.1017/S0889189300000758.
6. MacRae RJ, Frick B, Martin RC. Economic and social impacts of organic production systems. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 2007;87(5):1037-1044. doi:10.4141/CJPS07135.
7. Crowder DW, Reganold JP. Financial competitiveness of organic agriculture on a global scale. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015;112(24):7611-7616. doi:10.1073/pnas.1423674112.
8. Riar A, Goldmann E, Bautze D, Rüegg J, Bhullar GS, Adamtey N, et al. Farm gate profitability of organic and conventional farming systems in the tropics. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. 2024;22(1):2318933. doi:10.1080/14735903.2024.2318933.
9. Kumar S, Ansari MA, Sharma SK, Singh R. Productivity, profitability and trade-offs in organic farming-based agricultural systems: global trends and role in shaping new agri-food systems. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2025;95(3):239-248. doi:10.56093/ijas.v95i3.164149.
10. Reddy BS. Organic farming: status, issues and prospects—a review. Agricultural Economics Research Review. 2010;23(2):343-358.
11. Narayanan S. Organic Farming in India: Relevance, Problems and Constraints. Occasional Paper No. 38. Mumbai: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development; 2005.
12. Yadav MK, Kaswala AR, Dubey PK. An assessment of organic and conventional farming practices for yield, pest management and soil health. Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 2024;10(2):150-156. doi:10.9734/AJSSPN/2024/v10i2271.
13. Piato K, Subía C, Pico J, Calderón D, Norgrove L, Lefort F. Organic farming practices and shade trees reduce pest infestations in Robusta coffee systems in Amazonia. Life. 2021;11(5):413. doi:10.3390/life11050413.
14. Parvathi P, Waibel H. Organic agriculture and fair trade: a happy marriage? A case study of certified smallholder black pepper farmers in India. World Development. 2016;77:206-220. doi:10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.08.027.
15. Patoju SKS, Babu C, Varghese R. Challenges of organic produce cultivation and marketing: a study in Mananthavady Block, Wayanad District of Kerala, India. Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2020;11(1):76-82.