Bihar Agricultural College, Rajendra Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur - 813 210.
The land situated in close vicinity to the rivers constitutes the diara ecosystem and has great potential of crop productivity in general. The present study, based on the primary data collected from a sample of 144 diara farmers from 24 villages of the Bhagalpur district though multistage random sampling technique, has evaluated the present status and potential of crop productivity and has suggested strategies for enhancing productivity and agri-business opportunities of maize in the diara areas. Since during kharif season diara are inundated, farmers cannot adopt intensive technology due to high degree of risk and uncertainties. It has been found that farmers cultivate most of their crops during rabi season to fulfil their farm and family needs, based on the principles of sustenance, which is depicted by diversified cropping pattern. Maize is extensively grown in these areas throughout the year, with the winter maize having a special significance in the diara economy. The rabi maize has recorded highest profit of Rs 16998/ha followed by kharif maize (Rs 5376/ha). The marketed surplus of hybrid maize grown during kharif, rabi and zaid seasons has been found as 91.88 per cent, 94.48 per cent and 96.94 percent of the total production, respectively. In addition to providing increased income, maize generates additional employment, improves food security, enhances farmers’ attitude towards marketing and has helped in reducing migration of labour from Bihar. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have public interventions in maize marketing to sustain its production.
