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Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour established on 5th August, 2010 is a basic and strategic institution supporting more than 500 researchers and educationist towards imparting education at graduate and post graduate level, conducting basic, strategic, applied and adaptive research activities, ensuring effective transfer of technologies and capacity building of farmers and extension personnel. The university has 6 colleges (5 Agriculture and 1 Horticulture) and 12 research stations spread in 3 agro-ecological zones of Bihar. The University also has 21 KVKS established in 20 of the 25 districts falling under the jurisdiction of the University. The degree programmes of the university and its colleges have been accredited by ICAR in 2015-16. The university is also an ISO 9000:2008 certified organisation with International standard operating protocols for maintaining highest standards in teaching, research, extension and training.VisionThe Bihar Agricultural University was established with the objective of improving quality of life of people of state especially famers constituting more than two third of the population. Having set ultimate goal of benefitting society at large, the university intends to achieve it by imparting word-class need based agricultural education, research, extension and public service.
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ThesisItem Open Access Economics of Maize Production in Bhagalpur District of Bihar(Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU, Sabour, 2017-07) Kumari, Sushma; Wadhwani, Mukesh KumarMaize is one of the most important cereal crops in the world agricultural economy both as food for human beings and feed for animals. It can be used at any stage of crop growth; i.e. early stage as succulent green fodder to fully matured stage as maize grain. It provides food, feed, fodder & serves as source of basic raw material for a number of industrial product and play important role in the livelihood of millions of poor farmer in developing world. India is the 5th largest producer of maize in the world after China, Brazil Mexico and Russia contributing 2 percent of world production and 9 per cent of total food grain production in the country. At an annual production of about 10-14 m. t., maize is the third most produced grain in India after wheat and rice. It has witnessed 56 per cent output growth during last 3 decades. With this increasing demand, India has to produce 20 million tons of maize to meet its requirement by 2020. The productivity of maize in India is 2.5 t per ha against the world average of 5.5 t, indicating its tremendous untapped yield potential. In India, Bihar state ranks 4th in production of maize, is the main supplier of maize grain to different states for utilization in seed and other purposes. The crop is being cultivated in about 7.04 thousand ha area (2015-16), producing 25.17 thousand tones annual with productivity of 3571 kg per ha (DES, GoB). The crop is being cultivated in all three seasons of the year i.e. kharif, rabi and zaid (summer) in the state. It is the only agricultural crop in Bihar, whose productivity (4.42 t per ha) is much higher as compared to national average (2.5 t per ha) especially rabi and zaid maize. Virtually the state has witnessed a maize revolution over past few decades with introduction of hybrid seeds. Of the total annual maize production 44 percent is produced during rabi (winter) maize while zaid (summer) and kharif maize contributes 29 and 27 percent respectively. The productivity of winter maize (4421 kg per ha) is also much higher than kharif (2559 kg per ha) and zaid (3903 kg per ha) in the state. Though the area, production and yield under maize has increased during last three decades; there are only 8-10 maize processing units in Bihar. Of the total production 8-10 per cent of maize is processed within the state despite the fact state has huge and rising marketable surplus. In absence of adequate processing facility, the huge marketable surplus of Bihar depends completely on other states for its consumption, depriving its value addition, employment generation and higher income for the people in the state. The processed maize in the form of poultry feed and seed then comes back to the state. Any obstruction in this trading chain in future may lead into spoilage of that surplus, affecting the entire value chain and largely adversely affecting farmers. Maize is mostly grown by all category farmers. Hence, price discovery and better income realization becomes the key in giving a push to maize production in Bihar. Besides its export potential and diversified uses, maize cultivation offers solution for industrialization of agriculture in the state. In view of the above facts the present study entitled “Economics of Maize Production in Bhagalpur District of Bihar’’ has been undertaken to estimate the costs and returns, marketing pattern, level of technology and constraints in maize production by the farmers in study area. The study is based on primary data, collected through survey method from a sample of 70 farmers, consisting of 63 percent of marginal-small, 23 per cent semi-medium and 14 per cent medium-large category farmers, selected randomly through Multi-Stage Sampling Technique from Naugachia, Bihpur and Rangra blocks of Naugachia sub-division of Bhagalpur district. The sample farmers were classified as marginal-small (up to 2 ha), semi-medium (>2-4 ha) and medium-large (> 4 ha). The average operational size of land holding was 2.55 ha, which ranged from 1.21 to 7.60 ha among three categories of farms. The Cropping Intensity was 233 percent with highest of 248 per cent on semi-medium category farms and minimum of 221 per cent on medium- large farms. It was found that maize is being grown by all categories of farmers throughout the year, i.e. in kharif, rabi and zaid seasons under irrigated condition in study area. The medium-large category farmers devoted highest area under maize in all three seasons, i.e. 2.50 ha in kharif, 4.27 ha in rabi and 3.48 ha in zaid seasons with overall mean as 0.64, 1.50 and 1.18 ha during three seasons respectively. The gross area under maize during these seasons was 55.93 percent of the gross cropped area (3.33 ha), which indicates commercial nature of the crop in study area. It is being cultivated commercially during rabi and zaid seasons only for grain purpose while the kharif crop is being cultivated mostly for fodder and cob purpose. The kharif crop also faces risk of failure on account of uncertain weather/heavy rain during the season. Therefore cost and return has been worked out only for rabi and zaid season crops.The cost of cultivation of rabi maize was found in order of category of maize farms i.e. highest on medium-large farm (Rs 55749 per ha) while lowest on marginal-small farms (Rs. 48129 per ha). The material cost was found highest (Rs. 36525 per ha) on marginal- small farms, while it was Rs 36525 and Rs. 40943 per ha on semi-medium and medium-large category farms respectively. The cost of irrigation and fertilizer was estimated as Rs 14415 (28.20 per cent) and Rs 7990 (15.63 per cent) per ha, indicating the importance of these two inputs in rabi maize production. The yield of maize in rabi season was highest (94 q/ha) on medium-large farms, while it was 88 q/ha on semi –medium as well as marginal-small category farms. It is also reported that the study area is well known for highest yield of rabi maize in the state of Bihar and as well as in the country. The average price received was Rs 1140 per quintal. The average gross income was estimated as Rs 101460 per ha. The per hectare total cost of cultivation of zaid maize was estimated as Rs 29505. It was found in reverse order of category of maize farms, i.e. higher on marginal-small farms while less on medium-large farms. The material cost was found highest (Rs 19258 per ha) on marginal-small farms, while it was Rs 17556 and Rs 15055 per ha on semi- medium, and medium-large category farms respectively. On overall basis material cost constituted of 42.85 per cent of the total cost of cultivation (irrigation and fertilizer cost 11.42 and 12.48 per cent of total cost). The yield of zaid maize was found ranging from 49 q per ha on marginal-small farms to 63 q per ha on medium-large farms. The average price received by the maize growers was as Rs. 1486 per quintal. The average gross income has been estimated as Rs. 75786 per ha, ranging from Rs 73059 per ha on marginal-small to Rs 90090 per ha on medium-large farms. The net income against variable cost (Rs 51687 per ha) and total cost (Rs. 50341 per ha) on overall basis in rabi season was more as compared to zaid season. The return to total cost ratio was estimated at 2.0 in rabi season while in zaid season it was 2.6.The ratio was found in descending order in rabi season while in ascending order in zaid season. The farmers used higher quantity of seed by 53 per cent against recommended rate in study area, which ranged from 39.22 per cent on marginal- small farms to 60 percent on medium-large farms. The farmers also used higher quantity of N, P and K in maize. The nitrogen use was more to the extent of 184 per cent on marginal-small farms followed by semi-medium (142 per cent) and medium-large category (115 percent) with the overall average as 167 percent. The gap in phosphorus use was highest on semi-medium farms (46 percent) with overall gap of 27 percent while gap in potassium application was 70 per cent on overall basis. The irrigation was applied by all categories of farms more or less in optimum number in accordance to recommended level. The average quantity of maize seed used in zaid season was 17 kg per ha, whereas quantity of N, P, K used was 149, 72 and 86 kg per ha respectively. The gap in seed rate 15 percent ranging from 8 to 20 per cent among three categories. The gap in Nitrogen application was highest on medium-large farms (97.00 percent) followed by semi-medium and marginal-small category (91.07 and 62.42 percent). This indicates that farmers in zaid season also use excess quantity of nitrogen in maize crop. The gap in phosphorus and potash application was of the level of 79 and 114 percent respectively. During zaid season the farmers were applying irrigation in less number (36.00 percent) than the recommended number. The constraints were broadly classified into agro-biological, economic (resource) and marketing factors. The agro-biological factors included weather, soil, rain fall, severity of pest and diseases and natural calamities while the economic factors include scarcity of seed, fertilizer, irrigation, plant protection and labour. Among the agro-biological factors natural calamities and weather was considered as the most important limiting factor by 53 and 24 per cent of sample farmers. The suitable variety, quality of seed was considered as limiting factor by 33 and 36 per cent respectively. The availability of urea and Murate of Potash was considered as limiting factor by 53 and 47 per cent of sample farmers respectively. About 39 per cent of the sample farmers were of the opinion about high price of DAP, 34 percent of MoP and 27 percent about SSP. The availability of chemicals and their price was considered by 54 and 39 percent of sample farmers. Irrigation and labour availability was also considered as limiting factor by 70 per cent of the sample farmers. The maize was marketed in village market by 60 percent of the farmers while 33 percent sold at farm level. Only 7 percent of sample farmers sold to distant market. This may be due to quantity of marketed surplus as well as farmers’ inability to communicate, transport and store the produce for marketing to distant market at later period. As far as mode of transport is concerned the tractor seems to be most preferred (64 percent) due to easy availability and movement in villages. Among market agency, wholesalers (43 percent) and Commission Agents (30) were found playing important role in marketing of maize. The contractors (27 per cent) were also involved in maize marketing. Both of the modes of sale (64 percent); i.e. cash as well as credit sale was under practice in study area. The bargaining (67 percent) was the most important method of trade while 33 percent of farmers also sold their produce under pre-contract. It may be concluded that maize being cost and labour intensive nature of crop, the farmers should be trained on balance use of technology/resource/input specially seed and nutrient, viz. N, P and K management irrespective of category of farmer. This will help in better resource use efficiency, reducing cost of production and enhancing profitability. The farmers are forced to sell their produce through contractors/traders due to their inability in marketing activity, lack of marketing linkages, storage and also due to lack of operating capital required for purchase of technological inputs. After repealing of APMC Act (since 2006) no alternate marketing system has been implemented in Bihar state. Therefore there is need of organizing maize producers to form Producer Company on the lines of MAHGRAPES etc. prevailing in Maharashtra state. Though the State Govt. has launched various programmes under Agriculture Road Map aimed to increase production, productivity and profitability of crops in general, their benefits are yet to be harvested by the farming community. (Limitation: No generalized conclusions can be drawn out of the results of this investigation due to small sample size of respondents whose response to questions pertaining to various aspects of maize was solely based on their memory though it gave firsthand information about the study area. For any universal conclusion and its intended applicability the study needs to be conducted on much larger sample size.)