ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS OF CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATED SYSTEM IN SUB-MOUNTAINOUS ZONE OF PUNJAB
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Date
2016
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Punjab Agricultural University
Abstract
The sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state, which is primarily rainfed, has
undulating topography and is characterized by large number of production and socio -economic
constraints. Livestock production is by default an integral part of this region, due to frequent crop
failures. The study was undertaken with the primary objectives of characterising the crop livestock
production system, gender wise employment, share in the farm income and to identify production
and marketing constraints in the system in the sub-mountainous zone of Punjab. In order to
accomplish the stipulated objectives of the study, primary data were collected from 240
respondents proportionately distributed over three land holding categories namely small (<5 acre),
medium (5-10 acres) and large (>10 acres), from 6 blocks of Hoshiarpur and Roopnagar district
representing the zone. The cultivable land constituted about 70 per cent of the total land holdings
on small (4.28 acres) and medium farms (9.93 acres) with respective cropping intensity of 174 and
158 per cent. The cropping intensity on large farms was only 122 per cent. The adult cattle unit
per farm were minimum on small farms (4.11), and maximum on large farms (6.13). The
proportion of in-milk buffaloes and cross bred cattle were 88 and 85 per cent respectively on
overall farm. All the cross bred cattle were of improved breed, but in case of buffaloes it was only
27 per cent. The purpose of rearing livestock was to earn additional income and impart economic
stability to the farming system against risk arising out of crop failures due to natural calamities or
damage by stray or wild animals. Total employment generated in the crop livestock integrated
system was found to be 511 person days per annum with crop farming accounting for 42.5 per
cent and the rest 57.5 per cent was attributable to livestock farming with a higher participation of
women labour in case of livestock farming. The highest annual earnings from the crop livestock
integrated system on per acre of operational holdings were obtained by s mall farmers (Rs
49,507/acre) followed by medium (Rs 36,612) and large farmers (Rs 36,430). As regards the net
family income from different sources, the off-farm sources accounted for 40.8 per cent and crop
livestock system accounted for 58.4 per cent on o verall basis. The analysis has conclusively
brought about the importance of off- farm sources of employment in the livelihood security of this
oft-neglected region of Punjab, the forerunner in agricultural development of the nation. Low
yields, poor quality seeds, animal menace, fragmented land, poor extension services, non availability of processing units and poor connectivity to the market were found to be the major
constraints in the crop production and non availability of high quality breeding bulls, hi gh cost of
treatment, incidence of reproductive problems, high cost of feed and fodder, poor health care
facilities, problem of disposal of unproductive animals were found to be the major constraints in
the livestock production.
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##Unable to generate tags d7983.pdf, Crop livestock, constraints, integration, sub mountainous zone