Cotton Production and Socio-economic Characteristics of Farmers in Maharashtra, India
Keywords:
Yield gap, potential yield, demonstration plotAbstract
This paper aims at analyzing the relationship between cotton farmers output and their socioeconomic characteristics, estimation of yield gap and to identify the factors responsible for yield gap. The study adopted multistage sampling technique in selecting 120 cotton farmers in four villages from Kalmeshuwa and Saona blocks in Nagpur district, Maharashtra. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire administered to the cotton farmers and secondary data on potential yield in the demonstration plot and recommended input usage were obtained from the Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur (CICR). Frequencies, percentage and cross tabulation, yield gap index and multiple regression models were used for analyzing the data. Results from cross tabulation indicated that gender, farm size and educational status of the respondents might not necessarily guarantee larger cotton output. Findings from yield gap analysis showed that yield
gap I, yield gap II and total yield gap were 375kg/ha, 815.11kg/ha and 1190.11kg/ha respectively. This implies that there is still scope for increasing actual farmers’ yield, hence, more farm income. Results from the multiple regression model revealed that educational status, farm size, seed rate gap and location of the farmers were the major factors responsible for yield gap. The study therefore suggested a need to sensitize farmers by relevant Government agencies on the unfavorable effects of excess input usage with a view to minimize yield gap.
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