Economic impact analysis of agro-advisory services during kharif season in central plain agroclimatic region of Punjab

Abstract

Punjab has 1.5% of India's geographical area, but its production represents more than 50 and 60% of the central pools of wheat and rice, respectively. Rice-wheat is the predominant cropping system covering about 60% of the cultivated area, the Ludhiana, representing the central plain agroclimatic zone of Punjab, India. In Punjab, the rice is the main kharif season crop and crop season extends from May to November. Rice can grow well on soils with low permeability and over a wide range of soil reaction viz., pH 5 to 9 and generally loamy soils are best for rice cultivation. It is best suited to regions of high temperature, high humidity, prolonged sunshine and assured water supply. A temperature range of 20 to 37.5°C is required for its optimum growth. The crop requires higher temperature at tillering than that during early growth. For early sown varieties, the favourable range of humidity is 83 to 85% and for late ones it is 67 to 68%. Farmers of the area are very much progressive and aware about the new agricultural techniques. Farmers' option on selection of varieties, input use, crop management and protection practices and harvest is influenced by spatial and temporal changes in important weather parameters like rainfall, temperature, wind speed and direction, cloud cover and humidity. The weather forecasting and weekly agroadvisory services at regional level have been critical in instrumentalising the farmers to adjust their production plans in favour of optimum production but lack of timely and reliable agrometeorological information is a serious limitation for effective farm planning operations.