Economic analysis of vegetable production under protected cultivation (polyhouses) in Champawat district of Uttarakhand
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Date
2009-07
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
The mal-nutrition in our country is a serious problem particularly among poor masses. In addition to cereals and pulses, vegetables are important source of meeting nutritional requirements. As against 300 grams per day per capita recommended amount of vegetable, the present availability is only 130 grams. This precarious scenario of per capita availability of vegetables warrants to increase its production in the country. The less availability of vegetables is also due to their non production during offseason. Offseason availability of vegetables could be met through arranging their production in polyhouse.
In Champawat district, the production of vegetables in polyhouse was found to be beneficial to producers as well as to consumers by way of offseason vegetable production. The average size of cultivated land in the study area was very small i.e. only 1.502 acre and inadequate to provide reasonable standard of living. The average size of family was also large (above 7 members). Educational status was found to be quite good which helped the people in securing job outside.
Capsicum was found to be most profitable crop generating a net income of Rs. 171414 per acre. Among all the crop rotations followed by farmers, capsicum – cabbage – tomato appeared most profitable crop rotation giving a net income of Rs. 371496 per acre. The establishment cost of polyhouse for 0.20 Nali land was 21950. The establishment of the polyhouse was found to be economically feasible and the BCR was greater than one under the situation of granting subsidy or without subsidy. The payback period was found to be around 2.5 years. The per acre returns (Rs. 384000) from vegetable cultivated under polyhouse was substantially higher compared to per acre returns (Rs. 18900) obtained from open field cultivation. Under existing situation, contribution of agriculture to total income of farmers earned during the year, was around 18 per cent only.
The farmers were satisfied with the financial scheme of polyhouse executed by government in the study area. However, certain additional provisions like drip irrigation system, making availability of water tank and sprinkler has to be made in the scheme for secured irrigation. Presently, the vegetables produced under polyhouse were locally disposed off. However, in future, if area under polyhouse cultivation is increased, there will be need of developing transportation facilities and good market for making the crop remunerative.