Crop diversification : A case study of Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh
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Date
2024-02-27
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College of Horticulture and Forestry Dr YSP UHF, Neri, Hamirpur(H.P.)
Abstract
The study analyzed the crop diversification: A case study of bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. A stratified multistage random sampling design was used to select a sample of 80 respondents from two different developmental blocks. The selected samples were further classified as marginal (<1 ha), small (1-2 ha) and large (>2 ha) category farmers on the basis of their land holdings. The result of the study revealed that the total cropped area under vegetable crops in kharif season was 25.23 per cent and rabi season 23.28 per cent. During Kharif season, tomato occupied the highest cultivation area i.e. 4.00 per cent followed by cucumber 2.46 percent and okra 2.46 per cent whereas, the highest area during rabi season i.e.5.53 per under cauliflower followed by pea 4.00 per cent and onion 0.92 per cent, respectively. Per hectare total cost of cultivation and gross returns were highest in case of tomato i.e. ₹112568.15 and ₹686747.70 respectively. The maximum employment was generated by the farm activities were 75.99 per cent followed by non-farm activities 24.01 per cent and employment generated through vegetable production was 45.05 per cent, services about 19.26 percent and 4.75 percent from MGNREGA. Different variables like operational holding, experience in farming, education, family size etc. Were regressed upon to determine the degree of diversification as determined by the Herfindahl and Entropy indices of diversification. The study was analysed and found that production and productivity increased after diversification and provided employment and income of all categories of farmers. Some of the problems identified in the study area were lack of awareness programmes, high transportation cost, difficulties in loan processing, non-availability of credit in time, non-availability of fertilizers in time and shortage of skilled labour. Whereas, lack of technical inputs were the major problems faced by the farmers. These issues need to be addressed through government intervention to encourage farmer of the study area towards crop diversification to increase their livelihood.