Vegetos

Abstract

The Agra district of Uttar Pradesh produces 40% of total potato production of the state. The study was conducted to analyze the socio-economic status of potato famers in the region. The data on family composition, education, land holding pattern, occupations and income were collected from personal interviews of farmers. It is found that the majority of the potato farmers belong to small, marginal and even land less farmer s category. The average age of household family head was 55.51 years and in most of the cases they are male members. The average family size comprises of 8.66 persons having average literacy rate 77.76% in the sampled population. On an average 78.56 percent females are occupied in agriculture and only 57.51 percent males are engaged in agriculture. The average net income and cost benefit ratio of potato farming were Rs.76,282.07 per hectare and 1.6, respectively. The study suggests that for improving the socioeconomics, small landholding farmers must unite their land and other resources for higher returns. Simultaneously, the existing economy of the farmers can further be strengthened due to convergence of government s interventions through fiscal incentives, dissemination of technology, extension services, access to easy credit, crop insurance and post-harvest infrastructure management support which will strengthen the farmers.