Abstract
Gujarat is known for its French fries potatoes in India. This state is number one in potato productivity. It provides an amicable business environment for producers and processors for contract farming. To understand potato production practices, 180 contract farmers were studied in different villages of northern Gujarat after doing multistage sampling from districts to Talukas and then villages. Data were analysed through frequencies, percentages, and Garrett ranking techniques. It was found that potato contract farming was more centric towards larger producers although processors screened out their preferred producers on the basis of a number of parameters, like land holding capacity, business sense, youthfulness, and positive attitude. Potato contract farming in the state was more informal than formal. The processors provided seed and in time consultancy support to the producers. Higher input cost was the major reason for breaching the contract. Any conflict in this direction was solved through a participatory approach. Ultimately, lack of labour and credit issues made contract farming challenging for the producers that need to be nullified by the processors.
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Notes
Potato is coming under price-supportive mechanism under the market intervention scheme which is supported by the state government and central government equally in a 50:50 basis. Now potato is supported by a price stabilisation fund under the Operation Green scheme.
Balaji imposes 100% micro irrigation practices before going for contract farming (Wustman et al. 2011). Similarly, McCain also motivates farmers to do micro irrigation in their potato production.
The particular period was a very much convenient one for producers to give their response as new lots of potatoes were already sown. Information was fresh and transparent in their mind as every activity was over before a few days.
The bandwagon effect is the term used to describe the tendency for people to adopt certain behaviours, styles, or attitudes simply because others are doing it.
It was observed that unskilled labourers were coming from Sabarkantha district to Deesa areas during the sowing time of potatoes. Even labourers were also coming from Ambaji, 60 km away from Palanpur of Banaskantha district of Gujarat.
It was observed when a producer booked seeds; he had to deposit 10% of the cost of the seed. The next 40% costs of seed were to be deposited within 7 to 10 days. Rest 50% of the cost of seed was deducted from the revenue that was generated after harvest. Processors normally make the balance close within a month. This time it is extended more than a month due to COVID 19 pandemic. During demonetisation time, farmers’ were also facing such type of issues.
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Ranjan Panigrahy, S., Kalamkar, S.S. Potato Contract Farming: Prospects and Challenges in Gujarat, India. Potato Res. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-023-09643-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-023-09643-7