Prabhjot Kaur

Direct seeded rice for sustainable agriculture in Punjab

A survey was undertaken to study the socio-personal characteristics and prospects of direct seeded rice in Punjab covering five districts viz., Moga, Mukatsar Sahib, Faridkot, Sangrur and Patiala. From each district one village and from each village 15 farmers were selected randomly. The data were collected by using personal interview method. The socio-personal characteristics of direct seeded rice growers were studied. It was observed that majority of the DSR respondents in the age group of 41–58 years, educated up to matric, had medium operational land holding, had medium mass media exposure and had low extension contacts. Majority of respondents growing direct seeded rice had high level of economic motivation. Questions were asked from the farmers regarding the prospects of direct seeded rice. The results revealed that more than 53.33 percent of the respondents were willing to increase the area under direct seeded rice. This was due to the reasons that DSR is a profitable enterprise, it increase the income by reducing the labour cost, while 46.67 percent of the respondents was willing to keep the area constant under direct seeded rice. This was due to the reason that though DSR is profitable, it involves weed problem which requires too much hard work to control.

Economic impact of front line demonstration on pulses in Punjab – a step towards diversification

The results revealed that in front line demonstrations highest average yield of 11.4 q per ha was recorded during the year 2011 for moong and 18.25 q per ha during 2011–12 for gram. The highest increase of 26.3 percent in yield over check plots was recorded during the year 2009 in moong and 34.7 percent during the year 2007–08 in the case of gram. Although, the cost of cultivation was slightly on higher side in FLD plots, returns were much more. In FLD plots as well as local check plots average gross return was highest during 2010 for moong and 2011–12 for gram. Farmers were not aware of recommended pesticides, time of spraying and its doses. Farmers convinced about the importance of time of sowing, seed treatment and application of balanced use of fertilizer, proper pesticide as well as its time of spray after looking the results of FLDs.

National Food Security Mission in the service of farmers: An overview

The study was conducted to find out the services availed by the farmers under National Food Security Mission in Ludhiana district. The objectives of the study were to find out level of satisfaction of the farmers, ascertain the problems faced by the farmers and to seek suggestions from the farmers to make the subsidies more effective. A sample of 120 farmers was selected randomly covering all the 12 blocks of Ludhiana district from the list of the farmers who had availed subsidies under NFSM. Data were collected through personal interview approach. Findings of the study revealed that majority of the farmers were in middle age group (40–55 years), educated up to matric and had large operational land holdings (>25 acres). More than 67 per cent of the farmers availed the membership of co-operative society. State Department of Agriculture was the main source of information regarding subsidies among the farmers. Majority of farmers availed subsidies on rotavator followed by seed cum fertilizer drill and appreciated assistance provided by the concerned authorities to complete documentation procedure. Majority of the farmers were very much satisfied regarding quality of inputs and amount of subsidy. Only few farmers had shown dissatisfaction regarding quantity of inputs. More than 37 per cent of the farmers received amount of subsidy in more than sixty days. Lengthy documentation procedure and delay in release of subsidies were the main problems faced by the farmers. To make the subsidies more effective, farmers suggested that criteria for availing subsidies need improvement so that most of the small and marginal farmers get more benefit.

Analysis of Apni Mandis in Ludhiana

Apni mandi was launched by Punjab Mandi Board where producer come directly to sell their produce in retail. It was first initiative, directly linking vegetable producers and consumers. Farmer producers bring the produce for sale directly to the buyers or consumers. After a successful start these failed to serve the objectives ultimately. The findings revealed that only 9.7 percent of the vendors in apni mandis, were farmers and rest of them were traders, rehriwalas, phariwalas or agents of the traders. Majority of farmers belonged to small category, use tractor trailer and two wheelers for carrying the produce, selling their produce of their own by taking family members help and travelling from 10–20 km for selling the produce. Further, participating farmers too were not selling all types of agricultural produce and almost all the farmers were selling seasonal vegetables only, whereas fruits, off season vegetables, mushrooms, honey and mustard oil selling was wholly done by traders, rehriwalas, or agents of the traders. Consumers also hardly found any price difference prevailing at apni mandis and retail markets. For helping the farmers and consumers the various measures are suggested to be taken-up by the government, like ensured participation of only farmers, provide various infrastructural and training facilities, encourage farmers interest-groups and more storage facilities at cheaper rates were the important requirements.