Journal of Agroecology and Natural Resource Management Print ISSN: 2394-0786, Online ISSN: 2394-0794, Volume 2, Number 1; February-March 2015 pp. 6-9 © Krishi Sanskriti Publications http://www.krishisanskriti.org/janrm.html Labour Input Behaviour of Cotton in Akola District V.K. Khobarkar 1 , H.J. Wagh 2 , D.N. Ingole 3 and Monalisha Gurung 4 1,2,4 Department of Agril. Economics & Statistics, Dr. PDKV, Akola 3 E-mail: KVK, Risod 1 , vanita.econ@gmail.com 2 Abstract—In India, it is well known that labour is the backbone of rural economy. Also, it is one of the primary factors of production which considered to be important not only because it is productive but also because it activates other factors and makes them useful for production purposes. In this backdrop, the present study was undertaken to workout labour input behaviour of Cotton crop in Akola district of Vidarbha region by using compound growth rate and simple tabular analysis. The present study based on the time series data for the period 1991-92 to 2011-2012, collected from Agricultural price and cost scheme which held under the Department of Economics and Statistics Dr. P.D.K.V.Akola. The study has revealed that the highest growth rate of labour utilization was found in harvesting and sowing whereas the lowest growth rate of labour utilization was found in irrigation, raising and plant protection operation. The percentage share of labour charges in cost A and cost C for 2010 observed in cotton .The highest share in cost A and cost C was used for manuring, harvesting, threshing whereas the lowest percentage share of labour charges in cost A and cost C was used for raising, interculturing and plant protection. In the growth rate of labour wages highest growth rate was found in harvesting and sowing whereas the lowest growth rate of labour wages was found in irrigation and raising and plant protection operation. harshwagh25@yahoo.com 1. INTRODUCTION Agriculture being the important sector of economy, in India it is well known that labour is the backbone of rural economy. The labour in agricultural field is mainly located in the rural area a private farms with a meagre possibility of continuous employment and assured wages. They are mostly employed and seasonal basis and paid at the mercy of land owner. Labour is one of the primary factors of production. It is considered to be important not only because it is productive but also because it activates other factors and makes them useful for production purposes. The concept of labour input is measurable in real time units. Unlike industrial labour, agricultural labour is difficult to define. The reason is that unless capitalism develops fully in agriculture, a separate class of workers depending wholly on wages does not come up. According to National Commission on Labour defined as "An Agricultural labourer is one who is basically unskilled and unorganised and has little for his livelihood, other than personal labour. Agricultural labour in India is being widely scattered over 6.38 lakh villages of which half have population of less than 500 each and therefore, any question of building an effective organization, like that of industrial workers, poses insurmountable difficulties.The labour in agriculture engages in farming operation either as cultivators or as an agricultural labourer. The labour has been considered best for sowing, transplanting, harvesting, threshing, cleaning, storing and so on because they work hard with full dedication. In India, the labour force is largely masculine, with only one out of every four workers—as agriculture labour, as farmers or co-farmers, as family labour or as managers of farms and farm entrepreneur. In this backdrop, the following objectives were selected for study. 2. OBJECTIVES 1. To study the growth of labour input in Cotton. 2. To study the share of labour changes in output price. 3. To study the wage behaviour. 4. To assess the changes in labour input. 3. METHODOLOGY The present study was based on the time series data from the period 1991-92 to 2011-12. The data was collected on the basis of labour input, output price and wage rate from the Agricultural price and cost scheme which held under the Department of Economics and Statistics Dr. P.D.K.V. Akola. The cotton crop is the major crop in Akola district because larger percentage of area is covered under this crop. The study of labour input behaviour as proposed was carried out by compound growth rate. Operation wise growth rate of labour input, wage rate was calculated, percentage share of labour charges on the basis of cost A and cost C of the year 2012 was also calculated. The data thus calculated was