PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF VEGETABLE CROPS GROWN UNDER NATURAL FARMING: A CASE STUDY OF MANDI DISTRICT IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2020-11
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NAUNI,UHF
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present study entitled “Production and marketing of vegetable crops grown under natural farming:
a case study of mandi district in Himachal Pradesh.”. A sample of 120 farmers practicing natural farming was
selected using Simple Random Design. 40 farmers from three block i.e. Sundernagar, Karsog and Balh were
selected. A sample of 5 traders, 5 wholesalers and 5 retailers from Sundernagar were selected randomly. Results
revealed that literacy rate was 96.15 percent in males and 81.58 per cent in females with literacy index of 3.15
and 2.32 in males and females respectively indicating average quality of education. 81.14 per cent of the
household engaged inagriculture followed by Services 8.75 per cent and Business 0.9 per cent. Average number
of workers was 3.71. Average land holding was 0.83 ha out of which 0.30 ha area under natural farming and
0.15 ha area under conventional farming. The cropping intensity was 204 per cent in natural farming. The
average number of livestock was 4.92 out of which cow was 15.79 per cent, bullock 22.72 per cent and
improved buffalo was 1.21 per cent. The agriculture income share in total household income was 58.11 per cent.
There were four major crop under Natural Farming i.e. Tomato (0.02 ha), Frenchbeans (0.07 Ha), Pea (0.03 Ha)
and Cauliflower (0.04 Ha). The estimated yield per hectare of land in Tomato was 101 q/ha, French Bean 60
q/ha, Pea 59 q/ha and Cauliflower 86 q/ha. The yield from SPNF crops were less as compare to conventional
crops. The estimated net returns from per hectare of land in Tomato was Rs. 117433 /ha, French Bean Rs.
89522/ha, Pea Rs. 81686/ha and Cauliflower Rs 75509/ha. The estimated costs per hectare of land in Tomato
was Rs. 86532 /ha, French Bean Rs. 81164/ha, Pea Rs. 64188/ha and Cauliflower Rs 61620/ha. The sum of
elasticity coefficient in all SPNF crops were decreasing returns to scale. Marginal factor price ratio of natural
fertilizers, labour, seed and plant protections for all SPNF crops is less than unity which indicates resources are
at over utilization level. Three main marketing channels were found prevalent in the study area for marketing of
vegetables grown under natural farming. Among these channel-C, connecting Producer – Local traderWholesaler
- Retailer - Consumer was found to be the most preferred channel as 63.00 per cent of the produce
was traded through this marketing channel. facing irrigation issues during peak times, Lack of govt. Support,
Inadequate training facilities, lack of extension facilities, Non availability of specialized market, No fair price
for produce in market, and Wholesalers not taking consent while selling the produce were production and
marketing problemsreported by the farmers in the study area