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Browsing Reports by Author "Rana, Daljit Singh"

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    ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATED SYSTEM IN SUB-MOUNTAINOUS ZONE OF PUNJAB
    (Punjab Agricultural University, 2016) Rana, Daljit Singh; Kataria, Poonam
    The sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state, which is primarily rainfed, has undulating topography and is characterized by large number of production and socio -economic constraints. Livestock production is by default an integral part of this region, due to frequent crop failures. The study was undertaken with the primary objectives of characterising the crop livestock production system, gender wise employment, share in the farm income and to identify production and marketing constraints in the system in the sub-mountainous zone of Punjab. In order to accomplish the stipulated objectives of the study, primary data were collected from 240 respondents proportionately distributed over three land holding categories namely small (<5 acre), medium (5-10 acres) and large (>10 acres), from 6 blocks of Hoshiarpur and Roopnagar district representing the zone. The cultivable land constituted about 70 per cent of the total land holdings on small (4.28 acres) and medium farms (9.93 acres) with respective cropping intensity of 174 and 158 per cent. The cropping intensity on large farms was only 122 per cent. The adult cattle unit per farm were minimum on small farms (4.11), and maximum on large farms (6.13). The proportion of in-milk buffaloes and cross bred cattle were 88 and 85 per cent respectively on overall farm. All the cross bred cattle were of improved breed, but in case of buffaloes it was only 27 per cent. The purpose of rearing livestock was to earn additional income and impart economic stability to the farming system against risk arising out of crop failures due to natural calamities or damage by stray or wild animals. Total employment generated in the crop livestock integrated system was found to be 511 person days per annum with crop farming accounting for 42.5 per cent and the rest 57.5 per cent was attributable to livestock farming with a higher participation of women labour in case of livestock farming. The highest annual earnings from the crop livestock integrated system on per acre of operational holdings were obtained by s mall farmers (Rs 49,507/acre) followed by medium (Rs 36,612) and large farmers (Rs 36,430). As regards the net family income from different sources, the off-farm sources accounted for 40.8 per cent and crop livestock system accounted for 58.4 per cent on o verall basis. The analysis has conclusively brought about the importance of off- farm sources of employment in the livelihood security of this oft-neglected region of Punjab, the forerunner in agricultural development of the nation. Low yields, poor quality seeds, animal menace, fragmented land, poor extension services, non availability of processing units and poor connectivity to the market were found to be the major constraints in the crop production and non availability of high quality breeding bulls, hi gh cost of treatment, incidence of reproductive problems, high cost of feed and fodder, poor health care facilities, problem of disposal of unproductive animals were found to be the major constraints in the livestock production.