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ThesisItem Open Access Performance analysis of agro-processing self-help groups in Thrissur district(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Lina, Joy; KAU; Prema, AThe present study on the "Performance analysis of agro-processing Self Help Groups in Thrissur district” was conducted to study the functioning of Self help Groups (SHGs), to identify the factors determining effective functioning and to study the constraints faced by the SHGs and provide suggestions for effective functioning. The study was taken up among Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY) SHGs in Thrissur district. Five blocks having maximum percentage of agro-processing SHGs were selected. The activities undertaken by the agro-processing SHGs were classified under four groups i.e. fish processing, copra processing, powder making and ready to eat items making Group characteristics as the indicators of performance studied were group cohesion, group decision-making, group leadership, team spirit and maintenance of records. Copra processing unit obtained the highest rank in group characteristics. Profile characteristics studied were information seeking behaviour, innovativeness, risk orientation, economic motivation, management orientation, attitude towards self employment, knowledge about processing and market perception Powder making units were having the highest rank in profile characters Non performing groups showed the lowest score in both the group characteristics and in the profile characteristics Correlation analysis between group and profile characteristics revealed that management orientation was the major socio-economic variable affecting the group performance. Marketing channel for all the categories showed the lack of adequate forward and backward linkages. All the categories marketed their products within the district only. Packaging and traveling expense were the main items of the marketing cost Lack of common retail outlet for SHG products was the major constraint faced by SHGs in their marketing Cost of material input and labour cost were the main items in working capital of each category The copra processing units were having highest BC ratio (2.26) BC ratio of all the performing units were more than unity which indicated that all the units studied were running in profit The units were receiving a subsidy of 50 percent loan taken and they also received Rs10000 as revolving fund. All the units studied were having more than Rs 30,000 as thrift. The major constraints faced by the SHGs were the lack of concession regarding lending rate and lack of any aid from panchayat.ThesisItem Open Access Kisan credit card scheme: an economic evaluation(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Sangitha, K Viswanath; KAU; Thomas, E KThe main objectives of the study entitled “Kisan Credit Card Scheme: An Economic Evaluation are to study the growth of Kisan Credit Card Scheme in Kerala, to examine the pattern and adequacy of credit supply, to study the timeliness, repayment and overdue pattern of the scheme and to identify operational problems in order to suggest measures for improvement. The study was conducted in Kannur district. From the secondary data collected it was found that maximum number if cards were disbursed in Kannur district. Multistage random sampling technique was used for selection of samples. Thirty farmers each were selected from three banks namely Syndicate Bank (Mambaram), North Malabar Gramin Bank (Pala) and Pathiriyaad Service Co-operative Bank making the sample size to 90. The survey was conducted in May 2007 using a well structured interview schedule. The study of the status of Kisan Credit Cards revealed that for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies there was considerable increase in the number of cards and loan amount disbursed through the scheme. In RRBs more number of cards was disbursed through North Malabar Gramin Bank (NMGB) than South Malabar Gramin Bank (SMGB). Out of the total Kisan Credit Cards issued through Commercial Banks, 48.3 per cent was supplied by State Bank group, 45.5 per cent by nationalized banks and 6.2 per cent by Private Sector Banks. Nationalized Banks had disbursed maximum amount of loan through Kisan Credit Cards (45.7 per cent) followed by State Bank (36.4 per cent) and Private Banks (14.9 per cent). Assessment of adequacy of loan under the scheme was studied by cross tabulating the data pertaining to the adequacy of loan based on adequacy measure and the opinion survey on individual bank basis. The results showed that out of the 30 farmers who took loan under the scheme from Commercial Bank, only nine had received adequate amount of credit under the scheme (30 per cent) when opinion survey and adequacy measure were considered together. In RRB,3.3 per cent and in Co-operative Bank 6.7 per cent of the card holders got adequate credit when adequacy measure and opinion survey was considered simultaneously. With respect to the timely availability of credit under the scheme, only 25.6 per cent of the total respondents had stated that credit was not available on time while the rest 74.4 per cent had opined that credit was available at the proper time without any delay. Out of the total sample of 90 respondents, 37.8 per cent had completely repaid the loan amount and 62.2 per cent had partially repaid the loan amount. Among the card holders from Commercial Bank, 26.7 per had repaid the loan completely and 73.3 per cent had repaid it partially while in RRB 53.3 per cent repaid completely and 46.3 per cent repaid partially. In Co-operative banks, 37.8 per cent had repaid the loan completely while 62.2 per cent had partially repaid the loan. A few operational problems like high rate of interest in RRB, inadequacy of credit from RRB and Co-operative bank, were noticed during the study. The credit limit fixed based on the scale of finance was need to be revised. Suggestion was made for provision of a pass book to the borrowers and the credit card is to be linked with ATM facility.ThesisItem Open Access Kisan credit card scheme: an economic evaluation(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Sangitha K, Viswanath; KAU; Thomas, E KThe main objectives of the study entitled “Kisan Credit Card Scheme: An Economic Evaluation are to study the growth of Kisan Credit Card Scheme in Kerala, to examine the pattern and adequacy of credit supply, to study the timeliness, repayment and overdue pattern of the scheme and to identify operational problems in order to suggest measures for improvement. The study was conducted in Kannur district. From the secondary data collected it was found that maximum number if cards were disbursed in Kannur district. Multistage random sampling technique was used for selection of samples. Thirty farmers each were selected from three banks namely Syndicate Bank (Mambaram), North Malabar Gramin Bank (Pala) and Pathiriyaad Service Co-operative Bank making the sample size to 90. The survey was conducted in May 2007 using a well structured interview schedule. The study of the status of Kisan Credit Cards revealed that for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies there was considerable increase in the number of cards and loan amount disbursed through the scheme. In RRBs more number of cards was disbursed through North Malabar Gramin Bank (NMGB) than South Malabar Gramin Bank (SMGB). Out of the total Kisan Credit Cards issued through Commercial Banks, 48.3 per cent was supplied by State Bank group, 45.5 per cent by nationalized banks and 6.2 per cent by Private Sector Banks. Nationalized Banks had disbursed maximum amount of loan through Kisan Credit Cards (45.7 per cent) followed by State Bank (36.4 per cent) and Private Banks (14.9 per cent). Assessment of adequacy of loan under the scheme was studied by cross tabulating the data pertaining to the adequacy of loan based on adequacy measure and the opinion survey on individual bank basis. The results showed that out of the 30 farmers who took loan under the scheme from Commercial Bank, only nine had received adequate amount of credit under the scheme (30 per cent) when opinion survey and adequacy measure were considered together. In RRB,3.3 per cent and in Co-operative Bank 6.7 per cent of the card holders got adequate credit when adequacy measure and opinion survey was considered simultaneously. With respect to the timely availability of credit under the scheme, only 25.6 per cent of the total respondents had stated that credit was not available on time while the rest 74.4 per cent had opined that credit was available at the proper time without any delay. Out of the total sample of 90 respondents, 37.8 per cent had completely repaid the loan amount and 62.2 per cent had partially repaid the loan amount. Among the card holders from Commercial Bank, 26.7 per had repaid the loan completely and 73.3 per cent had repaid it partially while in RRB 53.3 per cent repaid completely and 46.3 per cent repaid partially. In Co-operative banks, 37.8 per cent had repaid the loan completely while 62.2 per cent had partially repaid the loan. A few operational problems like high rate of interest in RRB, inadequacy of credit from RRB and Co-operative bank, were noticed during the study. The credit limit fixed based on the scale of finance was need to be revised. Suggestion was made for provision of a pass book to the borrowers and the credit card is to be linked with ATM facility.ThesisItem Open Access Demand for environmental quality- the case of eco-friendly technologies in crop production(College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Divya, K; KAU; Indira, Devi PThe study entitled “Demand for Environmental Quality – The case of eco-friendly technologies in crop production” was conducted in Thrissur district of Kerala state, on two major food crops (rice and banana). The main objectives were analysing the market structure of organic inputs in agriculture and identifying the factors influencing the adoption of ecofriendly technologies. The study was undertaken during March to July 2007. The data was gathered from 160 farmers through personal interview method using structured pretested interview schedule. The samples were selected by the random sampling method. 80 each banana and rice farmers were selected of which 40 each were following chemical based agriculture and the rest organic farming or IPM. Apart from this the organic input supplying commercial firms in the area were also contacted. The eco friendly rice farmers applied organic manures at an average level of 2479 Kg /ha, which is 57% higher than that of their counterparts. In banana it is higher by 88%. Cow dung is the major manure accounting for 61-74% of the total organic manure application, mainly from own sources. Biofertilizer application was not noticed in any of the farms. The nutrients supplied through chemical fertilizers were lower (up to 35% in Sulphur in rice and 85% in Phosphorus in banana) than the chemical based farms. Similarly the use of pest control chemicals was also comparatively less. The labour use in ecofriendly farms was found to be marginally higher (3%) with a 10 –15% higher level of women labour use. The total cost of cultivation (cost C1) of ecofriendly rice farms was 10% higher at Rs. 17097/ha, realising only 7% higher net income (Rs.4541/ha). This leads to same BC ratio of 1.27 (at cost C1 level) in both types of farms. In banana, the cost is 37% (Rs. 60044/ha) less in ecofriendly farms, with a 27% fall in yield. The gain in net income is only 2%. Hence the BC ratio of ecofriendly farms is comparatively high at 3.00 than their counterpart farms (2.20). The supply side analysis of organic inputs shows the presence of six channels in the study area. Ten major firms (most of them certified) together were selling 135 tones of bio inputs in an year. However official quality testing data shows the presence of substandard samples in the market. The major factors that influence the farmer to follow eco friendly farming method were identified with the analysis using a logit model. Area under the crop, perception of yield loss (1% level) and experience in farming (5% level) were found to have a negative influence while the training support (1% level) and mass media exposures(10% level) were observed to have a significant positive influence. The study suggests programme for local production of organic inputs and scientific monitoring system for quality control of commercial organic inputs. The market support programme for safe produce may be thought of to realise a higher price. The training and mass media may be used as an effective tool for awareness creation. Realistic information of yield performance in ecofriendly farms and its effective dissemination is important. Small farm owners are more likely to shift to eco friendly methods and hence they may be focused. The study suggests future line of work in favour of organic input market in Kerala.
