Impact of Zero Tillage on Economics of Wheat Production in Haryana

Abstract

The paper has compared the economics of wheat production in Haryana with zero tillage and conventional methods and assessed the contribution of technology and inputs to the increased productivity due to zero tillage (ZT). The net income has been found higher in ZT method, mainly due to lower cost of production compared to that in conventional method. The study has observed that ZT technology has potential to provide additional income to farmers and help in conservation of scarce resources. The decomposition of about 45 per cent of the difference in gross returns between ZT and CT methods has been due to ZT and the rest due to changes in input costs. Despite several economic and environmental advantages, adoption of ZT technology has been limited and one major constraint identified is the difficulty in accessing a zero-till seed drill machine during sowing period. The study has suggested that ZT technology should be disseminated on a wider scale and availability of zero-till seed drill should be ensured at least through custom-hiring basis.