IRRIGATION IN SMALL HOLDER COCONUT CULTIVATION IN KERALA, INDIA - A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

Financial analysis of irrigation investments in existing as well as new plantations of coconut was conducted. The annualized capital costs and variable costs were included in the cost of irrigation. The Levelised Annual Cost Approach was used to compute the pumping cost. The study was conducted in a mixed cropping system. The effective area under each crop was computed and the allocation of irrigation costs was done accordingly. In all the land types the investments in irrigation was found to be highly feasible financially. The financial ratios were found to be higher in midland categories indicating that compared to the other regions, the midland region had higher potential for investment in irrigation.