The horticultural crop with the highest BC ratios is:
Banana.
BC Ratio: 2.5 to 3.5 (can go up to 5.0 under high-density and drip irrigation systems)
Reason: High yield per unit area, multiple harvests (in ratoon cropping), and strong market demand.
Popular in: Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh
Among the major horticultural crops grown in India, capsicum (bell pepper) often exhibits one of the highest benefit–cost (B:C) ratios. In the Assam “Package of Practices for Horticultural Crops” (2023), capsicum under high‐density planting recorded a B:C ratio of 8.7:1—meaning that for every ₹1 invested, farmers could expect a return of ₹8.70. This exceptional ratio reflects capsicum’s high market value, relatively low input costs per plant, and intensive production systems (e.g., plastic mulch, trellising, and staggered planting) that maximize yield per unit area. Other crops with notably high B:C ratios include off‐season leafy vegetables (e.g., coriander and fenugreek) achieving 4.6–4.9:1, and low‐tunnel cucurbits like bottle gourd recording up to 3.35:1, but none routinely match the returns seen in well‐managed capsicum production.
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