Economic Affairs 61(1): 23-31 March 2016 23 Production behaviour of potato in Assam- A critical analysis across zones and size groups of farms Sangita Borah, B.C. Bowmick and C. Hazarika Department of Agricultural Economics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, India ABSTRACT Potato is one of the most important and widely cultivated vegetable crops of Assam and ranks fourth in terms of acreage under individual crop in the state. A study on Production behaviour of potato across size groups, districts and zones of Assam was conducted using data pertaining to Agricultural year 2013-14. The result of the study revealed that per hectare potato cultivation cost was found to be highest in LBVZ (Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone) ` 70362.08 followed by CBVZ (Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone) ` 70357.07, UBVZ (Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone) ` 70238.78 and NBPZ (North Bank Plain Zone) of Assam ` 69755.20 respectively. It was also observed that with increase in size group of farms area allocation under the crop also increased as a result cost of production of potato also recorded an increasing trend in all the zones of the state. This trend of increased area allocation across size groups the degree of commercialization of potato had also increased and productivity of the crop was found increasing gradually from size group I farmers to size group III farmers. Potato production in all the zones relected that in LBVZ of Assam, from 1987 to 1997 witnessed sharp decrease in potato production. Ater 1994 till 2004 potato production was moving in upward direction due to incorporation of latest production technologies in the farmers ield. Potato production in the CBVZ of Assam was found to be more or less unchanged during the whole period. In UBVZ it was relected that from 1993 till 2003 potato production was found to be stagnant. Ater that it was showing upward movement. Similarly, in NBPZ also the potato production was found to be more or less stationary during the whole period. Keywords: Production, size group of farms, potato, assam Address for correspondence Sangita Borah: Department of Agricultural Economics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, India E-mail: sborah007@yahoo.com Access this article online Publisher Website: http://www.ndpublisher.in DOI: 10.5958/0976-4666.2016.00004.8 Potato has emerged as fourth most important food crop in India ater rice, wheat and maize. Indian vegetable basket is incomplete without Potato. It has been observed that during present trend of diversiication from cereals to horticultural crops, shiting from wheat/ barley cultivation to potato cultivation is economically rewarding owing to comparative advantage of potato over other vegetable crops. Potato cultivation is highly