Abstract:
The present study on "Economic analysis of rice-fish sequential farming
system in the low lying paddy fields of Kuttanad, Kerala" was aimed to analyse
comparative economics of rice monocropping and rice-fish sequential farming
systems, to quantity the employment generation capacity of the integrated system
and to identify the constraints in the wide spread adoption of rice-fish sequential
farming system.
The study was undertaken during May - July 2000 and the data pertains
to the year 1999. Data for the study was generated through sample survey of
farmers by personal interview method using a pretested structured interview
schedule. The study was conducted with a sample of 100 farmers for each system
of cultivation. Two stage random sampling was adopted for the study. Tabular
analysis was used to analyse the data.
The cost of cultivation (cost C3) of rice under monocropping
(Rs.23419.47 per hectare) and of rice under sequential farming system
(Rs.1972S.31 per hectare) Was estimated. For fish, the cost of cultivation per
hectare was Rs.6768.39. The major expenditure on input for rice cultivation under
both systems and for fish was human labour. In rice monocropping, land
preparation was observed to be the most expensive operation, whereas, in
sequential farming weeding was the most expensive operation. In the case of fish
cultivation, harvesting of fish turned out to be the most cost consuming operation.
Gross income per hectare realized from the main as well as by product
at the aggregate level was Rs.2S252.50, Rs.28371.00, and Rs.8782.95 for rice
(monocropping), rice (sequential farming) and fish respectively. Cost of production
per quintal of rice (monocropping) was Rs.64S.16 and for rice (sequential farming)
was Rs.482.0S. For fish, cost of production per quintal of fish estimated to be
Rs.1538.62.
Benefi t cost ratio at cost C3 was found to be highest (1.44) in the rice
cultivation under sequential farming. The corresponding figures for rice
monocropping and fish were 1.08 and 1.30 respectively.
This new system could provide on additional employment of 14.31
mandays per hectare. Even though this new integrated systems was profitable, lack
of finance and non co-operation among farmers to an extend hinder the adoption of
this practice. The major constraints experienced by the farmers in the cultivation
were also identified.
