Technical efficiency of maize production in different vulnerable agro climatic zones of Tamil Nadu

The main objective of this study is to estimate the level of technical efficiency in maize production in North Western and Southern zone of Tamil Nadu using the Stochastic Frontier Approach. The study will also attempt to determine factors which influence technical efficiency of maize production in two different vulnerable agroclimatic zones of Tamil Nadu. This study utilizes the most recent development in the stochastic frontier modeling by using a one-step process in Rstudio and primary cross-sectional data (2016-2017) for the agricultural year. The results indicated that, in the case of adopters, nitrogen fertilizer usage had positive significant impact on output at one percent level in both zones, phosphorous fertilizer usage in southern zone, seed rate and human labour in north western zone showed a positive impact on yield but machine hours in southern zone, farm yard manure in north western zone were found to be negative impact on yield at one percent level. In the case of adopters, phosphorous fertilizer usage had positive significant impact on output at one percent level in both zones, nitrogen fertilizer usage in southern zone, potash fertilizer usage and rupees spend on plant protection chemicals in north western zone showed a positive impact on yield but potash fertilizer usage and machine hours in southern zone, seed rate and human labour in north western zone were found to be negative impact on yield at one percent level. The results evident that the mean technical efficiency of adopter category in less vulnerable (southern zone) had the highest value with 93.96 percent followed by adopter category in high vulnerable zone with 89.52 percent followed by non adopter category in less vulnerable zone with 77.51 percent and finally non adopter category in high vulnerable zone with 77.11 percent. Based on the results appropriate policy were suggested to the present study.