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20183
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Subject: Agricultural Economics × End date: 2018 × Start date: 2018 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    Status of agricultural marketing infrastructure in Punjab
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Gohain, Namami; Sukhpal Singh
    The present study was conducted with the objectives of estimating the magnitude of existing agricultural marketing infrastructure in Punjab, studying the trends in market arrivals of different crops in Punjab, analyzing the extent of adequacy of market infrastructure, studying the problems and constraints faced by the farmers in the marketing of farm produce and spelling out the policy implications of the study. The primary data was collected during 2016- 17 from a sample of 180 farmers from 6 districts of the state. An increase in the number of principal markets, storage capacity and road length per 100 sq km of area was witnessed over the years whereas there was a decline in the average number of villages served per regulated market. Majority of the principal yards and sub yard had the facilities of covered sheds, auction platforms, roads and parking and boundary walls. Trend analysis indicated an increasing trend in the market arrivals of paddy, wheat, fruits and vegetables whereas cotton and maize displayed a decreasing trend over time. Analysis of adequacy of regulated markets in Punjab revealed that the magnitude of regulated markets is somewhat closer to the required number of markets for almost all the districts of the state. Factor analysis on various infrastructural facilities revealed that weighing facilities, lighting arrangements and electricity were adequate in the markets of Punjab. Garrett’s ranking technique ranked delay in procurement as the major problem of paddy marketing. However, exploitative practices by the intermediaries, lack of public procurement and lack of remunerative prices were identified as major problems faced during marketing of basmati, maize and cotton respectively. For the marketing of fruits, the major problem faced by the farmers was the exploitative practices by market intermediaries whereas in case of vegetable, lack of remunerative price for their produce was identified as the major problem. Therefore emphasis should be laid on enhancing the existing facilities in the regulated markets, providing appropriate information on prices of agricultural commodities and imparting training to farmers for efficient marketing.
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    Economic evaluation of timber cultivation in Punjab
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Bhangu, Preet Kamal Singh; Manjeet Kaur
    The present study analysed viability of poplar and eucalyptus (desi and clonal) cultivation in block and boundary plantation in Punjab. It further investigated the comparative economics of timber cultivation vis-à-vis wheat-paddy, risk involved, supply chain analysis and adoption behaviour of timber cultivation in Punjab. For the purpose, primary data were collected from 300 farmers; 100 poplar growers, 100 eucalyptus growers and 100 non-adopter farmers from Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Muktsar districts. To analyse the supply chain of timber, 84 intermediaries were selected. The data were collected for the year 2015-16. BC ratio, NPV and annuity value were estimated. Two types of agro-forestry systems AFS-1 (wheat + khariff fodder during first four years) and AFS-2 (sugarcane for first two years and wheat during 3-4 years) were identified. AFS-2 (NPV Rs 164998) gave marginally higher returns than AFS-1 (Rs 155489) at 12 % discount rate at fourth year of harvesting. The study revealed that net returns from poplar cultivation were at par with pure cropping system. In case of eucalyptus, the clonal variety gave higher returns in terms of BC ratio, NPV and annuity value. NPV was Rs 52991 for desi eucalyptus and Rs. 76299 for clonal variety at 12% discount rate at the fifth year of harvesting. In boundary plantation, the one side plantation gave the higher returns than two and four side plantation. Farmers got the net margin of Rs 260 per quintal in case of poplar by selling it to pre-harvest contractor whereas in case eucalyptus farmers received net margin of Rs 280 per quintal. Socio-economic parameters like age and members working in agriculture were negatively correlated with adoption behaviour while farm size, education, off farm income and extension contacts were positively correlated with adoption behaviour of timber cultivation.
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    Impact of climate change on production efficiency of rice and wheat crops in Punjab agriculture
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Sunny Kumar; Sidana, Baljinder Kaur
    The present study examined the impact of climate change on production efficiency of rice and wheat crop in Punjab Agriculture. In order to accomplish the specific objectives, both primary as well as secondary data was used. The secondary data was collected to study the annual and seasonal (rice growing period-June to September and wheat growing period- November to March) trends in temperature (maximum and minimum) and rainfall during 30 years (1986 to 2015) at five locations of Punjab namely Bathinda, Fairdkot, Ludhiana, Ballowal Saunkhri and Patiala. Primary data was collected from the sample of 200 farmers from eight villages of 4 districts of Punjab namely Faridkot, Ludhiana, SBS Nagar and Gurdaspur districts through multi-stage random sampling technique. The study revealed that during the last three decades most of the locations experienced significant increase in maximum as well as minimum temperature in both rice and wheat growing period. The annual rainfall ranged from 296 mm to 1057 mm at different stations of Punjab; out of which about 75 per cent was received during rice growing period. To know the impact of climate change fixed effects panel model was applied and results revealed that the coefficient of minimum temperature has been found to be negative significant in both rice and wheat crop. The marginal effects revealed that an increase of 1°C of minimum temperature in rice growing period, will decrease the rice yield by 1.20 per cent. Likewise, the rise in maximum temperature in wheat crop would reduce the yield by 1.08 per cent. The projections were made and the results showed that with a significant change in climate, the yield of rice will be lower by around 16.05 per cent and wheat by about 5.43 per cent by the year 2100, indicating decline in rice yield will be almost three times more than that of wheat. Further, the study revealed that laser leveller and improvement in irrigation structure are the most important adaptations in response to climate variability. In adaptation strategies for paddy cultivation, the variable cost ha-1 was less in Direct Seeded Rice (`28417) as compared to non-adopters (`36816), thereby resulting into a cost saving of 30 per cent. Similarly, the adoption of Zero till wheat among different climate resilient technologies of wheat cultivation saved 5 per cent net returns as compared to non-adopter. The lack of knowledge about technology, lack of credit and low capacity building were the most important constraints in adoption of climate resilient technologies. Strengthening of agricultural credit and extension for effective transfer of technologies has been found to be the important components to cope up with climate variability.