Increased production of non-paddy crops especially pulses and groundnut assume multidimensional significance in a state like Odisha, where the rice-based cropping system is increasingly proven nonsustainable; economically and environmentally. Increased production and productivity achieved through high resource use efficiency makes farming of these crops remunerative and enhances food and nutritional security. However, the growth pattern of area, yield and production of both the crops over the decades is highly inconsistent and unstable both for Odisha and India as measured through CAGR and Cuddy-Della Valle index. Cobb-Douglas production function reported allocative inefficiency of several key inputs for both groundnut and green gram. Technical efficiency as assessed through Frontier production function amply showed high production inefficiency prevalence. To revamp the production and productivity of these two major non-paddy crops, a systematic and well-coherent measure to be promoted targeting consistent and decent growth in area and productivity. Diffusion of technical know-how and targeted capacity development program can complement the efforts to make the production cost effective and profitable.

Highlights

• The growth rate of groundnut, green gram in area, yield, and production over the last six decades in Odisha and India has been inconsistent and registered high instability.
• The pattern and trend of growth of green gram in area, yield, and production of Odisha are dissimilar to those of India.
• Most farmers operate in a low to medium regime of technical efficiency of the inputs and fail to achieve the maximum possible output from a given resource base.