Paper Details

Name: Advit Sethi
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume No: 12, Issue No: 2, Year: 2025
Page Number: 151-156
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20605638

ABSTRACT
Punjab’s agricultural economy, long sustained by the rice–wheat rotation, faces intensifying
ecological and economic challenges — groundwater depletion, soil nutrient imbalance, yield
stagnation, and climate variability. This study evaluates the comparative economics of the
traditional rice–wheat system and two high-value diversification options, celery (Apium
graveolens L.) and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), within the Punjab context.
Using data from agricultural cost studies, farm surveys, and market analyses (2020–2025),
this paper estimates per-hectare yields, costs, and net returns while examining input use,
water demand, and climate sensitivity.
Results indicate that the rice–wheat system remains viable primarily due to institutional
support through Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and government procurement, yielding an
average output–input ratio of 1.34. Celery outperforms this with a ratio of 2.79, reflecting net
returns of approximately ₹ 75,665 / ha, while quinoa shows variable profitability (output–
input ratio 2.0–3.0) depending on market access and agronomic adaptation. Celery’s
profitability, moderate water demand, and established export network make it the most viable
high-value crop for Punjab’s transition toward sustainable diversification.
Keywords: Punjab agriculture; crop diversification; rice–wheat system; celery; quinoa; farm
economics; irrigation efficiency; climate resilience; high-value crops.