Resource use Efficiency of Hybrid Maize Production in Chhindwara District of Madhya Pradesh
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Date
2013
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
JNKVV
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Maize is considered the third most important cereal crop after rice and wheat in the world. This cereal is referred as Miracle crop and Queen of the Cereals due to its high productivity potential compared to other Graminaceae family members. It is a seasonal crop, annually it can be harvested thrice i.e., in Kharif, Rabi and summer seasons. Maize usually grown as a pure crop but also be grown as an intercrop with different crops like sugar cane, cotton, vegetables, legume crops etc.
In Madhya Pradesh Chhindwara, Dhar, Jhabua, Betul, Rajgarh and Mandsaur are the major maize producing districts. Chhindwara district is the leading district in terms of both area as well as production. The total area under maize in this district is about 94.7 thousand hectares with production of 288.7 thousand tonnes in 2011-12. The climatic conditions of the district are extremely suitable for maize crop. There is a wide scope for increasing area and production in the district. In this situation it is essential to know the reasons of low adoption of improved practices. Thus, present study was canvassed to know the existing knowledge and adoption gap among the farming community of maize growers of the Chhindwara district. Thus, this study was taken with the following specific objectives.
Specific objectives
1. To measures costs and returns of Hybrid maize production on sample farm.
2. To estimate resource use efficiency of important inputs in Hybrid maize production.
3. To identify constraints associated with production of Hybrid maize and measures to minimize constraints.
Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh was selected purposively as this district is very potential for Hybrid Maize Production. The district having 11 blocks out of which Chhindwara block was selected as due to investigator is well acquainted with the study area and it was helpful to collect the correct information. After selection of block, a list of hybrid maize growing villages was prepared and 3 villages were selected. From the selected villages a list of hybrid maize growing farmers were prepared. The hybrid maize growing farmers were categorised into three size groups. From each size group 20 farmers were selected by simple random sampling method. Thus total 60 farmers were considered for detail investigation to fulfil the stated objectives.
The primary data pertains to the agricultural year 2012-13 and block wise secondary data on area, production and productivity of hybrid maize from the year 2011-12.
Conclusion
Overall it could be concluded that: The micro level analysis of the data of sample holding characterized by 5.15 hectare of average size of holding ranging from 1.50 ha to 7.50 ha on sample farms. The area under cultivation on sample farm was 89.42 per cent which decreased as the farm size increased. The average family size of the sample respondents was directly associated with farm size and increased with farm size. Cropping pattern of the sample respondents is dominated by Soybean and hybrid maize in Kharif and gram and wheat during Rabi season. Hybrid maize alone shared over 33 per cent of the gross cropped area on sample farm & its relative contribution increased as the farm size increased. Total cost per hectare incurred in hybrid maize production on sample farm was Rs. 34700.76 which decreased as the farm size increased. The proportion of operational cost and fixed cost to total cost on sample farm was 63 and 37 of the total cost was alone contributed by owned and family labours which varied between 38 to 40 per cent on different farm. Cost of cultivation according to various cost concepts (Cost A1 to Cost C3) \ in different size of farms decreased as the farm size increased. Net income obtained from hybrid maize production was Rs.13523.23 per hectare with maximum of Rs. 15199.63/ha on medium farm to Rs. 12038.34/ha on large farm revealing inverse relations with the farm size. Input-output ratio was 1:1.3 with marginal variations in different size of holdings. Cost of production of hybrid maize varied from Rs. 682.19 to Rs. 731.32 with an average of Rs. 704.03 per quintal revealing to extra ordinary difference between the different size farms. The sum of regression coefficients of selected variable on different farm was less than unity indicating decreasing return to scale. Regarding resource use productivity of hybrid maize indicated that human labour was found significant in case of large farmer.The coefficient insecticides and pesticides and fertilizer were found significant in case of small farmers while coefficient of machine labour and seed were found significant across all the size of groups and overall level the coefficient was found highly significant indicated that the above variable contributing in the production of hybrid maize.The marginal value productivity of the resource was found more than 1 for the variables which are found significant.The lack of capital was reported as a main constraint in hybrid maize production irrespective of the size of holdings followed by low plant population, knowledge about seed variety, unfavourable price, high cost of cultivation, low plant population, attack of disease and pest, unfavourable climate condition, unawareness of NPK dosage, shortage of labour and water scarcity.
Suggestions
Based on the findings of the study some suggestions for higher and equitable production of hybrid maize are given below:
1. The socio-economic backwardness of farmers of study area is a higher obstacle in acceptance of the improved technology. It is suggested that frequency of extension visits should be increased to encourage more, wider spread and adoption of farm technology.
2. Improved hybrid maize producers may be cultivated intensively by adopting full package of practices. Provision of cheap credit followed by marketing and processing techniques is an urgent need of the area.
3. The wide gap between productivity level of hybrid maize and attainable yields was observed in the study area. Yield gap can be decreased by augmenting the productivity level of hybrid maize through resource adjustment and recallable resources use under cob-Douglas production function. Thus, sincere efforts be made by the extension personnel to motivate the farmers to adopt non-conventional production technology. Krishi Vigyan Kendra should identify the problems of farmers and feedback and solution of constraints be provided in time to the farmers.
4. The cost of cultivation incurred in hybrid maize production be reduced by curtailing the labour cost and reallocation of available budgets be made in various production factors to raise the benefit.
5. Need to develop the cultivators in which AFLATOXIN is not present for its wider availability at international level.