SHARMA, SUBHASHSHARMA, PRIYANKA2020-11-102020-11-102020-11https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810154862ABSTRACT The present study entitled “Economic Analysis of Natural Farming in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh”. 15 farmers each from four blocks i.e. Sujanpur, Nadaun, Hamirpur and Bijhari of Hamirpur district were selected for the study by using Simple Random sampling technique. Results revealed that literacy rate was 85.41 per cent with literacy index of 3.30 showing good quality of education. 71.51 per cent of the households were engaged in agriculture followed by service (15.48%) and business (12.92%). Average number of workers was 4.05 in study area. Average cultivated area was 0.56 ha, out of which 0.28 ha, area was under Natural Farming and 0.28 ha area was under conventional farming. The cropping intensity was 192.85 per cent. The average number of livestock was 5.07 out of which local cow was 10.50 per cent and improved cow was 24.99 per cent. There were four major crop combinations under Natural Farming system in Rabi season i.e. Cereals-Vegetables, Cereals-Pulses-Vegetables, Cereals-Pulses and Cereals. In Kharif season crop combinations under natural farming were Cereals-Pulses and Cereals. The major crops grown under conventional farming system were Maize and Wheat. In Rabi season, cost of cultivation of different crop combinations under Natural Farming i.e. Cereals-Pulses, Cereals, Cereals-Pulses-Vegetables and CerealsVegetables were Rs.42890.23/ha, Rs 39884.42/ha, Rs 49034.72/ha and Rs 40704.82/ha, respectively. For Kharif season cost of cultivation for Cereals-Pulses was (Rs 41808.14/ha) and Rs 39303.91/ha for Cereals. Percentage decrease in cost under NF over CF varied between 5 to 22 per cent in Rabi season and 5 to 10 per cent in Kharif season. Percentage increase in yield in NF over CF varied between 1.23 to 1.87 per cent in Rabi season and 2.16 to 3.06 per cent in Kharif season. Percentage increase in gross returns under NF over CF varied between 1.23 to 1.87 per cent in Rabi season and 2.16 to 3.06 per cent in Kharif season. Relative Economic Efficiency (REE) varied between 6 to 21 per cent in Rabi season and 8 to 11 per cent in Kharif season. Output-input ratio indicated that on investing Rs. 1, farmer got a returns of Rs. 2.00 in Cereals-vegetables, 2.26 in Cereals-pulsesvegetables, 2.06 in Cereals-pulses and Rs. 2.09 in Cereals. In Kharif season it was Rs 1.83 in Cereals-pulses and Rs 1.77 in Cereals. Sum of elasticity coefficients (∑bi = 1.15) was more than unity, which showed increasing returns to scale under Natural Farming. It means that returns increases by more than the proportional change in all inputs under Natural Farming system. The coefficients of seed, labour, natural fertilizers and plant protection solutions was more than unity, indicated all were over utilized and reduction in its usage would lead to optimize the returns. Chemicals fertilizer cost, high yield and pest attack played a significant role in the adoption of Natural Farming. Shortage of skilled labour, higher wage rates, non-availability of specialized market, fair price for produce in market were some of the problems faced by the farmers in the study area.EnglishThesis