Indian Journal of Agricultural Marketing
Year : 2014, Volume : 28, Issue : 3
First page : ( 35) Last page : ( 50)
Print ISSN : 0971-8664. Online ISSN : 2456-8716.

Promotion of power operated rice transplanters under ppp mode in Odisha: An inter zonal analysis

Samal P., Mondal B.

Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack-753006

Online published on 23 October, 2017.

Abstract

Mechanization of farm operations has become inevitable in the face of growing labour shortage and increase in farm wages leading to unattractive returns. Transplanting operation in rice cultivation is least mechanized and therefore, selected for this study. It is observed from the analysis of secondary data that PPP mode for promotion of rice transplanters is effective in the state of Odisha and the number of transplanters purchased by farmers in PPP mode has increased significantly (608) by the year 2013–14 from a mere three numbers during 2005–06. Maximum number of transplanters was sold in Coastal Plains zone followed by Eastern Ghat zone, Central table Land zone and Northern Plateau zone. Among the models approved by the Government, the model Yanji Shakti promoted by VST Tillers and Tractors has been adopted by majority of the farmers and its market share was 83.6 percent. Though the PPP program was effective in adoption of power operated transplanters in Odisha, it was not inclusive in terms of covering large section of small and marginal farmers as revealed from the analysis of primary data. The transplanters are purchased by large farmers mainly in irrigated areas. Among the transplanter owners who have extended custom hiring service, there was a bias towards large farmers. The percentage coverage of small and marginal farmers, who have availed custom hiring service, was 53%, while 92% of farmers are small and marginal in the state. Besides the above, there are other bottlenecks in the program also. The transplanters were promoted/marketed through PPP mode without imparting proper training to operator of the machine and educating the owners about the techniques of raising of mat type nursery. About 92% of the owners complained against timely supply of spare parts and prompt after sales service. The policy implications emerged from the study to make the program more efficient and inclusive are: a) A legal bond should be executed with the owners that at least 30 small and marginal farmers per year should be covered by extending custom hiring service by the owners; b) Before supply of transplanter, training to driver and the techniques of raising mat type of nursery should be made compulsory; c) Spare parts should be kept ready by dealers, so that the machine does not remain idle for more days as the duration of planting time is limited.

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