ECONOMICS OF FARMING SYSTEMS IN MANDI DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2021-12
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UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present Study entitled “Economics of Farming System in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh” was conducted during 2020-21. Multistage random sampling design was adopted to select the ultimate sample of the farmer. The district was divided into two parts, the first part ranging from 651-1500m altitudinal rang while the second part ranging from 1500-4500m. The selection of sampled households was done by selecting one block from each range. In the next stage, five panchayats were selected randomly from each block. In the last stage 8 farmers were selected from each selected panchayat. Thus, a sample of 80 farmers was selected for the collection of data. The socio- economic analysis of data revealed that at an overall level, the average family size was found 5.19 person per households, out of which the percentage of male (51.50 %) was higher than the female (48.50%). The overall literacy rate was found 88.39 per cent. Agriculture was found the main occupation of the farmers, at an overall level about 57.59 per cent of farmers depends on it. The average size of land holding at an overall level was 0.61 hectare with 70.41 per cent of cultivated area. The highest value of livestock per household was found in Sadar followed by Seraj block Rs.53,290.77 and Rs. 30,200.21 respectively. The six farming systems were found in the study area viz., C+P+D, C+P+V+ D, V+D, F+V+D, C+V+D and C+V+O+D at overall level. The most profitable farming system found in Seraj block were V+D (2.07), F+V+D (2.05), C+P+V+D (2.03) and C+P+D (1.69) output input ratio per hectare, whereas C+V+O+D and C+V+D farming system was most profitable in Sadar block with 2.03 and 1.93 output input ratio. The increasing return to scale were found in F+V+D (1.20), C+V+D (1.16), V+D (1.13), C+V+O+D (1.09) farming system indicating that doubling of inputs in these farming systems will result in output enhancement more than double. In case of C+P+V+D (0.92) and C+P+D (0.83) farming system decreasing return to scale were found which indicated that doubling the inputs results in output enhancement less than double. The major constraints faced by farmers at an overall level were lack of training lack of field demonstration, lack of irrigation facilities, non- availability of good quality seed and Wild/Stray animal menace. The policy should be developed in the study area were investment on farm technology and machinery, development of market access and better transport connectivity along with the accessibility of farm inputs in farms and rural markets.