Volume : 2, Issue : 2, February - 2013

Upliftment of Rural Economy Through Protected Cultivation

Dr. Brij Bala

Abstract :

More than 80 per cent of the farmers in India are small and marginal. Polyhouse technology has emerged as a boon to such resource poor farmers. To assess the costs and benefits drawn by the farmers through crop cultivation in polyhouses, a study was conducted in Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. A sample of about 50 polyhouse units of varied sizes was randomly selected in five developmental blocks of two districts. The total cost of construction was Rs. 100500, Rs. 216250 and Rs. 481600, respectively for polyhouses of 100 sq.m., 250 sq. m. and 500 sq. m. and farmers had to invest only 20% of the total cost. It was observed that about 85 per cent of the farmers grew capsicum, tomato or cucumber in their polyhouses as main crops and exotic vegetables like iceberg lettuce, pok choi and celery as covering crops. It was estimated that a farmer could have net returns up to Rs.1.42 lacs per annum from a 500 sq. m. polyhouse. Thus, the crop cultivation in polyhouses can work wonders for the marginal and small farmers provided the extension services for transfer of scientific crop production technology in polyhouses are further speeded up endeavourly.