Statistical analysis of growth performance of sweet potato in India

The growth performance of sweet potato crop in India was studied using the time series data from 1996-97 to 2013-14. The growth pattern was examined by fitting an exponential function (Y=ABt) and also computed compound growth rates for area, production and yield of sweet potato crop in India. The result showed that the growth rates of area were negative and significant in the study period and with the average area of 121.99 thousand ha and also shows less variability. Sweet potato production and yield result shows positive growth rates for the study period. The average sweet potato production and yield in India was found to be 1096.07 thousand t and 9.01 kg ha(-1), respectively, and also shows less variability during the study period. ARIMA (1, 1, 1) model was used to forecast sweet potato area and production in India for four leading years. The results also show sweet potato area forecast for the year 2018 to be about 108.41 thousand ha with upper and lower limit 129.46 and 129.46 thousand ha, respectively. The model also shows sweet potato production forecast for the year 2018 to be about 1092.62 thousand t with upper and lower limit 1277.03 and 908.21 thousand t, respectively.