Economic Analysis of Mango Nurseries in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper is based on the primary data collected from randomly selected 80 mango nursery growers of Mirpurkhas district of Sindh province of Pakistan. There are well-establishedmango orchards and mango nurseries mainly located in this part of the province. Nevertheless, this study identifies a number of technical deficiencies in present mango nurseries. Among others, Planting of nursery beds near to the grown up tress, inadequate inter culturing practices, no identifiable labels, both for mother plants and the stock, improver selection of rootstock, widespread plant population, local seed and traditional grafting are some of the major shortcomings. A large number of nurseries are using rootstock from side shoots collected from producing orchards; such planting material may turn out to be inferior quickly. Grafting and budding is often badly carried out with the result that the majority of planting material is of a very poor standard. Mango nursery business needs high investment. Total cost of mango nursery was incurred Rs.259958/hectare. An average net return earned by the growers was Rs.494795/hectare in two years because nursery plants take years to be ready for transplanting.