Jasdev Singh

Optimization of energy inputs for wheat crop in Punjab

Use of high yielding varieties, increased use of fertilizers and chemicals and mechanized farming of the wheat crop result in high energy use. An energy scenario of wheat production in Punjab was constructed to establish optimum energy input levels and to know the sensitivity of a particular energy input level on productivity for five agro-climatic zones. The sensitivity of a particular energy input on production was assessed using the marginal physical productivity technique and partial regression coefficients. The linear programming technique based on the concept of one-to-one functions was used to optimize the various energy input uses. The study on sensitivity of energy inputs on productivity of wheat revealed that an additional 1 MJ of energy through fertilizers in zone 1, Diesel in zone 3 and chemicals in zone 4 would result in increase in the yield of wheat by 0.118, 0.219 and 0.610 kg, respectively. Statistically, a constant return to scale prevailed for wheat production in all the zones except zone 1, being rain fed. Wide variations in the efficiency rating of input use were observed in zones 1, 2 and 5. Using existing energy inputs, the yield of wheat can be increased by 22.3% in zone 1, 20.8% in zone 2, 6.1% in zone 3, 4.2% in zone 4 and 10.6% in zone 5. On average, the existing level of yield of wheat could be obtained while reducing the energy inputs use by 22.3%, 20.8%, 9.8%, 7.1% and 15.9% in zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, over the actual energy use.

Optimization of energy input for raising cotton crop in Punjab

Abstract Modern farming has become very energy intensive. There is a great need to balance the use and availability of energy, especially in the agricultural sector, in such a manner so as not to affect production adversely. A study was conducted to optimise the energy inputs for the cotton crop in Punjab. Different mathematical functional relations were fitted between the yield and total energy input. An attempt was also made to optimise the energy inputs using frontier production functions (unconstrained frontier function and constrained frontier function). Seedbed preparation, irrigation and weeding consumed about 70% of the total energy input. The average yield of cotton can be increased by 6–8% with an additional energy input of 1–3%, mainly through tillage, irrigation and spraying.

Energy input and yield relations for wheat in different agro-climatic zones of the Punjab

Modern farming has become very energy intensive. Nowadays cropping pattern, farm activities and level of technology define the energy requirements. Energy needs are not only increasing in the agricultural sector, but in all sectors involving human activities. There is a great need to balance the use and availability of energy especially in the agricultural sector, in such a manner, so as not to affect the production adversely. Realising the implications of energy use, a study was carried out on the energy consumption patterns, in different agro-climatic zones, for the wheat crop in the state of Punjab in India. Mathematical relations were fitted to the yield and total energy input. An attempt was also made to optimise the energy inputs using a frontier production function for different agro-climatic zones. Under the present conditions, where irrigation is not assured, there is not much scope for increasing the yield of wheat in zone 1. However a 5.4% increase in yield is expected in zone 2 by providing 26.9% additional energy input through irrigation and the use of a fertiliser. The yield can be increased by 3.2% to 4049 kg/ha from 3922 kg/ha by putting 18.6% more energy input in zone 3. Yield can be increased to 4934 kg/ha (an increase of 13.7%) by an additional energy input of 28.5% in zone 4. On the other hand, the additional energy input of 29.6% gives only 1.3% increase in yield in zone 5. In most cases, the proper placements of seed, irrigation and fertiliser played significant roles in increasing the productivity in addition to some unknown parameters such as soil type and weather conditions.

Impact of Neem-coated Urea on Production, Productivity and Soil Health in Punjab

The present study was undertaken to analyze the trends in usage and prices of urea in Punjab, to analyze the adoption behavior of neem coated urea (NCU) among selected farmers, to analyze the impact of adoption of NCU on crop productivity and farmers ’income and to suggest suitable policy measures for adoption of NCU. The data were collected from randomly selected 200 farmers from four blocks of Ludhiana and Patiala districts where paddy is a major kharif crop which requires adequate doses of urea for its growth. The results of the study revealed that the consumption/sale of urea in Punjab during the year 2007–08 was 2646.44 th. MT which rose to 3086.05 th. MT during the period 2007–08 to 2015–16 at an annual growth rate of 1.64 percent. The urea prices increased significantly at the highest growth of 5.21 percent per annum during the decade 1990–91 to 1999–2000 while during the period 1980–81 to 2015–16 the growth in urea prices was 3.33 percent per annum. The analysis of the primary data revealed that the majority of the respondent farmers purchased NCU and Normal urea (NU) from co-operative societies followed by private fertilizer dealers while the cost per bag of NCU, including transportation cost, worked out to be 289.69 while it was 276.58 per bag in case of NU. There was marginal increase in the productivity of paddy crop during the year 2015–16 as compared to the year 2014–15. The net returns per acre were estimated to be 31401 during the year 2015–16 and 29530 in 2014–15. As far as awareness about NCU was concerned, almost all the selected farmers were aware about the NCU and major source of awareness was co-operative societies. There was a significant increase in the application of NCU after 2015–16 in crops such as; paddy, wheat, basmati, sugarcane, potato, maize, sunflower, and vegetables. Due to the application of NCU, only 5.29 percent farmers reported about the increase in paddy yield while the cost of pest and disease control declined by 21 percent. There was increase in productivity of paddy crop where neem coated urea (NCU) was applied on the sample farms. Also, the NCU usage on the sample farms increased while cost of pest and disease control measures declined. The partial budgeting technique brought out that there were added returns of 718 per acre by application of NCU on the sample farms. It was also revealed by all the respondents that there was no change in the texture of the soil, soil moisture retention capacity, water infiltration rate, soil softness and decline in the compaction of the soil due to application of NCU but there was higher retention of nitrate in the soil and thereby its slow release to the crop. Also, the NCU usage on the sample farms increased while cost of pest and disease control measures declined. High price of NCU, inadequate/shortage of supply during peak season and poor quality of NCU in some of the co-operative societies were the major problems reported by the respondents. Major suggestions were; assured/timely and adequate supply of NCU to co-operative societies and organizing training camps for spreading awareness. Major policy issue suggested was to lay emphasis on ensuring good quality, adequate quantity and timely supply of NCU along with bringing its price at par with NU.

Dynamics of Agricultural Productivity, Land Rent and Land Price Relations in Punjab

The analysis of data for post liberalization period from 1997–98 to 2010–11 revealed the significant dynamics involved in relative changes in land productivity, land rent and land prices in Punjab agriculture. It was observed that in state, due to increased demand of land for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes, both the land rent and price of land increased at a much higher rate as compared to the increase in average land productivity. While the inter-zonal differences in land productivity and land rent declined significantly over the study period, differences in land prices among different zones has been further widened. The low supply of land in comparison to its demand resulted in high rise of land rent and land prices making investments in land market for agricultural activities unviable. The polices aimed at promotion of the non-agricultural sector may help in pulling out a significant proportion of rural population from agriculture, and thus releasing the pressure on agricultural land for dependence.

Economic Viability of Kinnow Orchards in South-Western Punjab

The study revealed that expenditure on plant materials and planting charges had the largest share (25.07 per cent) in the initial cost on establishment of kinnow orchard followed by digging/filling of pits (20.21 per cent) and fencing (19.77 per cent). The annual operational/maintenance cost was low in the initial years, which consistently increased with the increase in age of the orchard. Plant protection measures, pruning, manuring/fertilization and watch and ward were the major components of operational cost. It was emerged out that net returns received by the sample kinnow growers were quite high for selling the produce themselves in the market as through elimination of pre-harvest contractor; the net margins of this important intermediary get transferred to the farmers. The benefit cost ratio and IRR at 1.53 and 30.25 per cent respectively in case the output was sold by growers in the market directly were significantly higher as compared to 1.26 and 19.24 per cent for disposal of output to the pre-harvest contractors. Overall, benefit cost ratio more than unity and higher internal rate of returns (IRR) were indicative that investment in kinnow cultivation in study area was attractive.

Soil Test-Based Fertilizer Usage: A Step Towards Sustainable Agriculture in Punjab

The study relied on the primary data collected from the farmers for the year 2012–13. The list of farmers, who got their soils tested from the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana for the year 2011–12, was collected. Paddy and wheat crops were selected for the study and districts selected were Ludhiana and Sangrur based on the crop area share within the state. A sample of 120 soil test farmers and 60 control farmers growing both paddy and wheat crops were selected representing all the farm size categories. The analysis revealed that only 40.83 per cent soil test farmers applied recommended doses of fertilizers to paddy and wheat crops while according to farm size category; 44 per cent medium, 41.56 per cent large, 35.71 per cent small and 25 per cent marginal category farmers applied recommended doses of fertilizers to these crops. The most important constraint revealed by about 69 per cent soil test farmers in applying recommended doses of fertilizers was the difficulty in understanding the soil test report. In both paddy and wheat crops, average yield and value of output was higher on soil test farmer farms as compared to control farmers farms. The impact of application of recommended doses of fertilizers by soil test farmers in terms of adopting the soil health card recommendations was increase in yield by 3.70 per cent in case of paddy and 6.16 per cent in wheat crop. Also, there was a decline in fertilizer consumption on soil test farms for both paddy and wheat crops along with increase in yield which could be attributed to balanced use of macro and micro nutrients, especially application of gypsum and green manuring of the fields by some of the soil test farmers. The major policy issues included; more trainings, exposure visits of farmers to the areas adopting resource conservation techniques, adoption and implementation of soil health card results by farmers on their fields, visit by the scientists to the farmers fields for their motivation and involvement of Gram Panchayats in promoting soil testing can be the most desirable steps in the direction of balanced use of fertilizers for sustainable agricultural development of the state.

Cost and Return Structure of Tomato Growers under Open Field, Low Tunnel and Poly House Conditions

The present investigation was carried out in the purposively selected Jandiala Guru block of Amritsar district during 2013. The sample of 50 tomato growers were selected consisting of 30 open field, 10 poly house, 10 low tunnels tomato growers. The production and marketing practices followed by tomato growers under different methods of cultivation led to relatively intensive use of inputs and labour in case of poly house tomato cultivation. Consequently, production and marketing costs turned out to be higher under poly house. But due to about five times high productivity and better prices, the net returns under poly house cultivation was about seven times higher than that of open field tomato cultivation. There is further scope to enhance the productivity under poly house technology through better technical and managerial skills. At the same time, poly house technology is highly capital intensive and risky due to many constraints related to production and marketing. The promotion of poly house technology should be as per the demand-supply-price relationships of tomato, through contract cultivation integrated with processing and backed by proper insurance policy.

Status and economics of summer mungbean cultivation for sustainable development in Punjab

The study was conducted to examine the present status of summer mungbean cultivation in Punjab state. The findings revealed that 54.29 percent of the farmers had started cultivation of summer mungbean from 0.25–2.50 acres area. Almost, half of the farmers followed summer mungbean-basmati-rice wheat rotation as basmati rice being short duration crop and its late planting in fields enable the growers to have enough time to produce summer mungbean. A large majority of the farmers (81.43 percent) cultivated this crop on commercial scale to earn an income, while most of them were engaged in cleaning and drying of the summer mungbean so as to add value to it. The sample summer mungbean growers fetched a gross return to the tune of ‘20905.50 per acre. The return over variable cost was computed to a tune of ‘14042.25 per acre.

Role of non-governmental organisations in formation and linkage of self help groups in Punjab

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been acting as a financial intermediary between the microfinance institutions and Self Help Groups (SHGs). The main role of NGOs is to prepare the members to participate in the group activities through changing their mindset. The paper analyzed the role of NGOs in formation and linkage of SHGs and also tried to assess the problems faced by them during this process. The study revealed that NGOs play an important role in SHG formation, linking the groups with the banks, arranging for loans and imparting training to start income generating activities. Distrust of the prospective SHG members on NGO personnel, difficulty in forming homogenous groups, non-cooperation from family members towards associating with the SHG, difficulty in inculcating the chores of maintaining the accounts and records among the members of the SHG and lack of funding were the major problems faced by the NGOs while forming and linking the SHGs. The study emphasized that the promoting agencies should put some extra effort in identifying credible and capable NGOs which should be provided funding on assured basis and such NGOs should also be able to access grants/subsidies and schemes from the Government.