The study was conducted in Madhepura district of Bihar to understand the socio-economic status of vetiver growers, profile of inputs used, relationship between cost and return, influence of input’s cost on yield and returns of vetiver. The study is absolutely based on primary information, collected from 70 farmers those who are benefited by CSIR-CIMAP Aroma Mission. The data were collected through field visit and adopted the personal interview method. The statistical tools like, descriptive analysis, CACP cost concept and multiple regression function were used to attain the objectives of the study. The results revealed that literacy rate of farmers in the study area was 82.42 percent whereas 96.80 percent of overall sample farmers were dependent on agriculture and 3.20 percent on Non-farm sources. The majority of sampled farmers (94.29%) were belonging to general category. The average land holding size was found to be 2.60 hectare. In total land holding of farmers about 70.79 percent acreage devoted under cultivation of traditional crops and 29.21 percent under medicinal and aromatic crops like Satavari, Vetiver, Lemongrass, Mint, etc. The total cost of cultivation and gross return of vetiver were found to be

` 121475/ha and 289920/ha. The net return over Cost C3 was found to be highest with ` 168445/ha followed by Cost B2, Cost C2, Cost C1, Cost B1 and Cost A1. The benefit-cost ratio is observed to be highest (1: 3.05) at Cost A1 it is implies that the farmers obtained ` 3.05 as profit by investing ` 1 in vetiver cultivation. The lowest benefit-cost ratio was found at Cost C3 (1:1.39) farmers obtained ` 1.39 return after investing one rupee. Total seven explanatory variables were considered in this study. Out of these variables, the regression coefficient of planting material, manures and fertilizer, number of irrigation, distillation method have positive influence on the yield and returns of vetiver. It was also observed that out of identified two marketing channels, Channel-I was dominated in the study area as 80.00 percent of vetiver growers were selling their vetiver oil through this channel and remaining 20.00 percent growers were selling vetiver oil through Channel- II. Thus, increase in income and employment through cultivation of vetiver may attract large number of farmers in the study area with integrated and traditional crops farming.

Highlights

• The net return over Cost C3 was found to be highest to another cost.
• The benefit-cost ratio was observed to be highest at Cost A1 and lowest at Cost C3.
• The regression coefficient of planting material, manures and fertilizer, number of irrigation, distillation method have positive influence and other variable are insignificant and not influenced the yield and returns of vetiver by increase or decrease the investment