Ex-ante and ex-post evaluation of advanced production system module in saffron (crocus sativus)‎ in india using consumer surplus model and propensity score matching

Abstract EN

A very important breakthrough in saffron cultivation and production wasachieved by Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology ofKashmir (SKUAST-K) when the university developed a production system module insaffron which brought substantial increase in productivity of saffron during last twodecades.

The adoption of the technology was observed to have a very significant impact onthe social dynamics of the saffron producing region demanding its ex-ante and ex-postevaluation vis a vis non adopters of the technology.

With this in mind consumer surplusmodel and propensity score matching methods were employed on a sample of 447respondents of which 286 were adopters and 161 non-adopters (control group) drawn from apopulation of 753 saffron growers in the saffron belt of Jammu and Kashmir producing 99% of the total saffron production in the country.

The results revealed that average productivityof the spice increased from 2.57 kg.

ha-1 to 6.05 kg.

ha-1, with 1-2 kg.

ha-1 in the first year to10-12 kg.

ha-1 in fourth year against control group, however, the investment cost estimatesrecorded increase of 5.9% under ex-ante and 13.6% under ex-post evaluation while adoptingnew technology, which however, got compensated through realizing higher productivity andincreased employment to the tune of 40.6 and 28.3 per cent man-days/ha respectively underex-ante and ex-post evaluation.

The results further revealed, NPV, BCR, IRR of Rs.

399crores, 110, 154% against Rs.249 crores, 69, 134% respectively under ex-ante and ex-postevaluation of the technology.