Rice-based cropping systems refer to the type and sequence of crops grown along with rice on a piece of land in a year. Kuttanad rice ecosystems in Kerala follow different rice-based cropping systems to make cultivation lucrative. The profitability and resource use efficiency of the identified rice-based cropping systems in Kuttanad was estimated using the costs and returns method and efficiency ratio calculation. A random sample of 160 paddy farmers from Alappuzha and Kottayam districts were surveyed for data

collection. The study identified three rice-based cropping systems, CS-I (rice mono-crop), CS-II (rice-rice) and CS-III (rice-fish) sequential cropping system in the study districts. The cost of cultivation for CS-I, CS-II and CS-III was ` 88,999, ` 1,77,684 and ` 1,75,268, respectively. Human labour was the significant cost component under all three systems. The study outcomes revealed that CS-III (rice-fish) was the most lucrative rice-based system among the three rice-based systems with a return per rupee expenditure ratio of 2.52, followed by CS-I (1.88) and CS-II (1.60). Productivity of the resources utilized was assessed by fitting the Cobb-Douglas production function. The efficiency of the inputs utilized was far from unity indicated the inefficient use of resources in the three cropping systems. Machine labour, human labour and lime were underused under CS-I, while the plant protection chemicals applied to check the pest and disease attack were over utilized under the same system. Under CS-II, resources such as machine labour and fertilizer were underutilized, whereas human labour was over-utilized for autumn rice. The resources such as human labour and plant protection chemicals were underutilized for rice production under CS-III, with MVP to MFC ratios of 3.72 and 9.1, respectively. At the same time, the feed used for fish production was underutilized with a very high-efficiency ratio indicating the scope of increasing fish feed to enhance the fish yield. The government of Kerala should reinstate the ‘One rice and one fish’ scheme which would earn considerate returns to the paddy farmers in Kerala. Government initiatives toestablish public custom hiring centers would reduce the cost incurred for machine labour.

Highlights

• The rice-fish sequential cropping system was highly profitable than the CS-I and CS-II in the Kuttanad rice farming system.
• The MVP/MFC ratios highlighted the inefficiency in resource use and the scope of reallocation of resources.