Status and impact of protected cultivation of horticultural crops in Maharashtra

Protected cultivation of high value crops has taken pivotal role for increasing higher productivity andincreasing income of the farmers. This study was undertaken to analyse the status and impact of protectedcultivation of horticultural crops in the Pune and Nasik districts of Maharashtra during 2018-19. The cumulativearea covered under protected cultivation by National Horticulture Mission in Maharashtra is about 4478 ha, ofwhich 61% is under shade net house and 37% is under naturally ventilated polyhouse. Farm business analysisshows that among four crops grown under polyhouse, carnation was the best option for farmers getting maximum 1000 sq.m area. Fractional logit model shows that the age of household, farm size, household income and access to subsidy were the significant factors for the proportion of total farmland allocated to protected cultivation. Higher initial investment, high cost of planting materials, incidence of pests and diseases, poor price receivedetc., were the most important constraints in adoption of protected cultivation. Thus, it is suggested that thegovernment support in the form of capital subsidy needs to be strengthened further to enhance adoption rateand also high value crops such as anthurium and orchid which provide high income to the farmers need to befocused on.