In this study an attempt has been made to study the structural changes in cost of cultivation of selected crops in Vidarbha. The study is based on estimates of cost of cultivation of four selected crops viz. Cotton, Soybean, Sorghum and Paddy of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The study used cross sectional cum time series data of Vidarbha region for selected crops for ten years from 1999-00 to 2008-09. The total cost of cultivation of cotton, soybean, sorghum and paddy has been depicting an increase by 1.82,1.86, 1.17 and 1.42 times during the period of study respectively. It was revealed that the share of operational cost to total change in cost of cultivation has been almost same for cotton, soybean and paddy crops indicating that the operational cost and fixed cost increased over time in a commensurate manner for these crops except sorghum crop. For all selected crops, the cost of cultivation has increased at a faster rate as compared to increase in prices of their output. The study also revealed that, during 1999-00, the return over cost A was highest for paddy crop followed by sorghum and cotton and lowest for soybean. The return over cost C was highest for paddy followed by sorghum but the return over cost C for soybean and cotton found negative. There for paddy crop had comparative economic advantage as compared to other selected crops of Vidarbha in 1999-00. During 2008-09, return over cost A was highest for cotton crop followed by paddy, soybean and sorghum. The return over cost C was highest for cotton followed by soybean and paddy crop. There for cotton crop had comparative economic advantage among the selected crops of Vidarbha in 2008-09. Cotton and paddy are the important crops of Vidarbha. These crops are more profitable as compared to other crops of Vidarbha, but now the area under cotton was replaced by soybean due to high cost of cultivation of cotton. Hence cotton area is likely to dominate day by day.
