Constraints faced and suggestions given by the contract and non-contract farmers of marigold and sunflower farming

Abstract

Agriculture plays a crucial role in the Indian economy. In 2022-23, agriculture and allied sectors contributed 18.30 per cent to India's GDP. Contract farming is seen as a tool to increase agricultural productivity in developing countries, as it could solve some of the below-mentioned problems. In this study both the contract and non-contract farmer were asked about the constraints faced while taking up the contract farming and non-contract farming in sunflower and marigold and also recorded suggestion for overcoming the constraints and improvement. Friedman test was applied to identify the major constraints faced by the farmers in contract and non-contract farming. The total sample for the study was 200 in which 100 respondents from sunflower and 100 respondents from marigold. Major constraints faced by the contract farmers in both crops were delay in payment, low contract price and disease outbreak. Lack of credit infrastructure, high transportation cost were the constraints of non-contract farmers. Contract farmers in both crops asserted to supply the good quality of seeds, in-time payment and in time technical guidance and non-contract farmers suggested to creation of profitable marketing channels and increase employment opportunities. Results from the study provides policy decision to encourage the farmers to take up profit-oriented cultivation practices through contract farming.