Economics of pesticide use in cabbage production in Belgaum district of Karnataka
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Date
2009
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Publisher
UAS, Dharwad
Abstract
India is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world (ranks next to china) Cabbage
is an important vegetable in the vegetarian diet and it is extensively cultivated in India. The present
study was conducted in Belgaum district of Karnataka as it having maximum area under cabbage
cultivation with the objective to study economic consequences of pesticide use in cabbage production.
The relevant data collected from primary source through personal interview method using pre-tested
schedules for the agricultural year 2007-08 were analysed by following tabular, Cobb-Douglas
production function and log linear regression model techniques.
The study revealed that the total cost of cultivation of cabbage per ha was Rs.50762.67 and
the gross returns of Rs.122646.0 with the net returns of Rs.71883.33 and the rate of return obtained
from pesticides use by farmers was Rs.14.05. The different operational costs were labour cost (38.02
%), seed (13.30%), manures and fertilizers (13.13%) and PPCs (10.86%). The production function
estimate shows that seeds and manures and fertilizers exert significant influence on the variation in
gross income, whereas PPCs was found to depress the gross income. The optimum quantity of
pesticide required for cabbage was estimated to be 0.495 a.i. lit/kg per ha as against actual quantity
used (0.563 a.i. lit/kg per ha). Organophosphates, pyrethroids, organochlorines and fungicides were
major groups of pesticides used. The sources of information about pesticides for farmers were
pesticide dealers, their own experience, neighbours and the extension activities. The farmers suffered
different health hazards due to exposure to pesticide. The majority of consumers were aware of
pesticide use and harmfull effects of pesticide residues in cabbage on human health. The positive
willingness to pay (WTP) more price than prevailing prices of market for pesticide free cabbage had
seen among consumers.
The study suggested that farmers need to be educated and advised about the proper and
balanced use of resources particularly PPCs and encouraged to adopt integrated pest management
(IPM) practices and organic farming. The education and training programmes are organized to convey
the safe and proper use of agro-chemical products and food borne risks particularly from pesticides
residues.
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Keywords
Agricultural Economics