Agroclimatic situation and profitability study of traditional cropping pattern in Koraput district in eastern ghat region of Odisha

Abstract

Koraput is a backward and tribal dominant district located in the eastern ghats region of Odisha. Land degradation, subsistence farming, poor crop harvest, low income from agriculture and lack of employment opportunities have resulted in to acute poverty in this region. A thorough investigation has been done to ascertain the agroclimatic situations and economics of existing cropping pattern in Koraput district. The total cultivable land, forest area, and barren and unculturable area of district is about 34.5, 21, and 24% of its geographical area respectively. Gross cropped area is 372.78 thousand ha and cropping intensity is about 139%. The climatic situation is congenial for crop growth with temperature varying from 12 degree celsius to 38 degree celsius and annual rainfall of 1567 mm occurs in 83.9 rainy days. Majority of farmers (78.5%) of the district come under marginal and small category with average per capita land holding size of 1.53ha. Present study reveals that major cropping pattern (paddy: 114.28 thousand ha , finger millet 73.02 thousand ha, niger 38.14 thousand ha , maize 18.85 thousand ha and pigeon pea 5.45 thousand ha is not at all economic due to lower net returns and benefit cost ratio (BCR). Higher net returns are obtained from ginger cultivation (rs 147500) followed by sweet potato (rs 102125), vegetables -rabi (rs 1,02,000), vegetables -kharif ( rs 88000), pigeon pea (rs 31000), horse gram (rs20,700) and green gram (rs10,800). Higher BCR is found in case of sweet potato (4.93) followed by horse gram (4.91) , pigeon pea (3.58), vegetables rabi( 2.76), vegetables - kharif 9 2.69), green gram ( 2.60), ginger (1.88), , black gram( 1.72), field pea ( 1.63) and niger (1.54). In order to get maximum returns, crops having maximum returns , crops having higher net returns and BCRs to be allocated more area. Therefore, limited area should be put under paddy , finger millet , niger and maize to meet the minimum food requirement of the district , and surplus area to be used for growing crops like ginger, sweet potato, vegetables, pigeon pea , turmeric, horse gram. and mung (green gram) having higher BCRs and net returns to make agriculture profitable and sustainable.