Socio-economic study of farmers in Puzhakkal Block in command area of Peechi Irrigation Project

Abstract

An investigation on the socio- economic status of farmers in Puzhakkal block, forming a part of command area of Peechi Irrigation Project, was conducted in 1982. The main objectives were to study the methods and practices followed for cultivation, understand social and economic conditions of the farms, farm business structure and infrastructural facilities. Two stage random sampling was adopted for the study and data were collected from a sample of 100 farmers by personal interview. The data were tabulated and classified according to the size of holding and also gross income of the study. The size of holding worked out to 1.04 hectares on an average. The family size was found to be 6.35. The family members consisted of 51.18 per cent males and 48.82 per cent females. The literacy was found to be 96.53 per cent. The cropping intensity worked out to 135.68. The area irrigated was 68.94 per cent of the net area owned. The average investment on land, livestock, buildings etc. worked out to Rs.146, 534.20 per farm. On an average an amount of Rs. 1338.17 was invested per farm on implements and machinery. It was observed that local varieties were grown during Virippu and Mundakan. Punja is the major crop of paddy grown in ‘kole’ lands with larger area under high yielding varieties. The high yielding varieties in Punja recorded the highest cost of cultivation of Rs. 4869.33 per hectare and yield of 31.14 quintals on an average. Whereas for local varieties the highest yield recorded was 24.91 quintals in Punja with a cost of cultivation of Rs.4625.50. The cost of production was lowest for Virippu, Rs.87.70 per quintal and highest for local varieties in Punja, Rs. 119.80 per quintal. In terms of net returns from paddy cultivation, Mundakan recorded the highest Rs. 1542.81 per hectare. The utilisation of labour and fertilizers were more for high yielding varieties. The annual cost of maintenance of coconut was Rs. 9027.81 per hectare with a net income of Rs. 5261.49 per hectare. For arecanut the maintenance cost was Rs. 4575.74 per hectare per annum with a net income of Rs.3028.8 per hectare. The cost of cultivation of banana worked out to Rs. 26069.45 with a net profit of Rs. 12442.24 per hectare. The cost of maintenance of cross bred animals was worked out to Rs. 1874.50 per animal per year with an annual milk yield of 976 litres. Whereas for desi cows the annual maintenance cost was Rs. 1088.80 with a milk yield of 527.80 litres. The minimum area required by a typical farmer to live on agriculture as main occupation had been estimated as 1.83 hectares. The total annual household expenditure worked out to Rs.15661.10 per family having an average family size of 6.35. The gross income of the family was Rs.22132.51 on an average. The total savings per annum was worked out to Rs. 6471.41 per family on an average.