Time series analysis and forecasting of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] area, production and yield in eastern Uttar Pradesh using ARIMA

This study examines trends, variability, and forecasting of pigeonpea cultivation in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, from 1960 to 2022, focusing on area, production, and yield across three periods: Period I (1960–1980), Period II (1981–2000), and Period III (2001–2022). Using descriptive statistics, the Cuddy-Della Valle instability index, trend models, ARIMA modeling, and evaluation metrics (RMSE, MAPE, R2, AIC), the analysis reveals key findings. The cultivated area declined from 206.35 thousand hectares in Period I to 155.03 thousand hectares in Period III, with a negative CAGR of -0.41%. Production peaked at 134.04 thousand tonnes in Period II but fell to 90.87 thousand tonnes in Period III, despite a marginally positive CAGR of 0.21%. Yield rose to 15.75 quintals/hectare in Period II but dropped to 13.43 quintals/hectare in Period III, showing a positive CAGR of 0.80%. Variability increased in area and production, while yield stabilized. Quadratic trend models captured non-linear patterns effectively, with R2 of 0.839, 0.675, and 0.573 for area, production, and yield, respectively. ARIMA (1,1,10) models provided accurate forecasts, emphasizing policy and technological measures for sustainable cultivation.