[seetharam annadana]

Dried leaves have to be hand pounded ot make ti like Tea cut leaves which the market needs. The cost of laboput for this seems to be issing in your estimates. It is also not clear how many men/women labour you suggest and the price of the same makes a big difference in costs. Stevia is very sensytive to Termites, so the crop protection costs are missing in your analysis.

Based on last 9 years of stevia cultivation, we need at least 1.3 to 1.4 lakhs per year per acre for managing the crop, protecting from termites and having some preprosseing of the dried leaves. We pay 35 for women and 65 for men labour. At a conservative 3 lakhs per Ha, surely it is very difficult to cross 5 lakhs per annum as net profits.

Your costs seem very low and not practical.

Even the UAS recently suggested a costing of 80000-1 lakh/Acre under optimal conditions without any major problems. Refer to article in Tharanga Magazine or Contact Dr. AG Shanker UAS Bangalore on 23636713 for more info. This mean 2.5 lakhs per Ha per annum.

Regards