This study assesses the economic benefits of natural versus conventional sugarcane farming in Belagavi district of Karnataka for the time period of 2023-24. Amid India’s economic ambitions and the critical role in agriculture played during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural farming methods, particularly Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) advocated by Shri Subhash Palekar, are examined. The research, involving 120 sample farmers including 60 practicing natural farming and 60 conventional farming for the analysis total cost method was employed. The results reveal that in conventional farming yield was more sugarcane per hectare and provides higher gross returns, natural farming proves more cost-effective. Natural farming’s total cost of cultivation was ` 2,24,544.71 per hectare, when compared to conventional farming (` 2,55,587.89). This difference is largely due to lower variable costs and more efficient input use in natural farming. Although natural farming has lower yields but it fetches a higher price per tonne (` 3,300 versus ` 2,900), contributing to higher net returns of ` 2,07,633 compared to ` 1,81,532 from conventional methods. The cost of production per tonne is also higher in natural farming (` 1,715) compared to conventional farming (` 1,696), whereas, the overall returns per rupee of expenditure was better in natural farming (1.92) than the conventional farming (1.71). The findings highlights the natural

farming’s potential for economic sustainability and reduced dependence on costly inputs, despite its lower yields. The study suggests that, with increased awareness, government support and incentives natural farming practices could gain broader adoption in the study area. This not only benefit farmers economically but also promote long-term sustainability and resilience in agriculture.

Highlights

• India is on track to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2024-25, with a current GDP growth rate of 8.4% (Anon., 2021). However, the farming community, a critical sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, has often been overshadowed. Agriculture contributed approximately 4.5% to India’s GDP and was the only sector that sustained the economy during the pandemic.
• Traditional agricultural practices come with significant drawbacks, including high cultivation costs, environmental pollution, and health issues (Singh, 2011).
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), promoted by Padma Shree awardee Shri Subhash Palekar, offers an alternative by reducing input costs and promoting soil health (Shankaranna, 2018). The Indian Prime Minister has also encouraged natural farming to reduce costs and boost yields.