ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF NATURAL FARMING IN KANGRA DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2020-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
NAUNI,UHF
Abstract
ABSTRACT The present study entitled “Economic Analysis of Natural Farming in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh”. A sample of 60 farmers practicing Natural Farming was selected. 15 farmers from four block i.e. Nurpur, Fathehpur , Baijnath and Rait were selected through Simple Random Sampling. Results revealed that literacy rate was 87.09 per cent with literacy index of 2.28 indicating average quality of education. 81.02 per cent of the households engaged in agriculture followed by Services (11.82 %) and Business (7.16 %). Average number of workers was 3.95. Average cultivated area was 0.81 ha out of which 0.45 ha area under Natural Farming and 0.36 ha area under conventional farming. The cropping intensity was 188.90 per cent. The average number of livestock was 5.67 out of which local cow was 24.70 per cent and improved cow was 10.70 per cent. The farm income share in total household income was 51.62 per cent. There were four major crop combinations under Natural Farming system in Kharif season i.e. Cereals-pulses, Cereals-vegetables, Vegetables-pulses and Cereals-vegetables-pulses and three crop combination in Rabi season i.e. Cereals-pulses, Cereals-vegetables, Vegetables-pulses.The major crops grown under conventional farming system i.e. Maize and Tomato in Kharif season Wheat and Pea in Rabi season. In Rabi season, cost of cultivation under Natural Farming system of different crop combinations i.e. Rs.48137.48/ha in Cereals-pulses, Rs 45063.73/ha in Cereals-vegetable and Rs 54332.75/ha in Vegetables-pulses respectively and in Kharif Season it was Rs 44208.22/ha in Cereals-pulses, Rs 52007.39/ha in Cereals-vegetables, Rs 53813.15/ha in Vegetables-pulses and Rs 48271.83/ha in Cereals-vegetablespulses. Percentage decrease in cost under Natural Farming over Conventional Farming varied between 7.20 to 29.19 per cent in Rabi season and 2 to 6 per cent in Kharif Season. Percentage increase in the yield under Natural Farming over Conventional Farming varied between 0.33 to 0.70 per cent in Rabi season and 0.79 to 1.76 per cent in Kharif season. Percentage increase in gross returns under Natural Farming over Conventional Farming varied between 0.20 to 1.86 per cent in Rabi season and 0.65 to 1.02 per cent in Kharif season. Relative Economic Efficiency (REE) varied between 18 to 34 per cent in Rabi season and 3 to 28 per cent in Kharif season. Output-input ratio indicate that on investing rupees 1, farmers were getting returns of Rs 1.67 in Cereals-pulses, Rs 1.72 in Cereals-vegetables and Rs 3.19 in Vegetables-pulses in Rabi season and Rs 1.15 in Cereals-pulses, Rs 1.45 in Cereals-vegetables, Rs 4.48 in Vegetables-pulses and Rs 1.16 in Cereals-vegetables-pulses in Kharif season. The sum of elasticity of coefficients was less than unity, which showed decreasing returns to scale. The coefficient of the inputs like Seed, Ghanjeevamarit, labour, Bijamarit andNeemastra was less than unity, indicated all are over utilized and reduction their usage would lead to optimize the returns. The variables like chemical fertilizer cost, health benefits, high yield and pest attack had a significant role in the adoption of Natural Farming. Shortage of skilled labour, higher wage rates, non- availability o
Description
Keywords
Citation
Collections