The technological and extension yield gaps of oilseeds were studied for two years (Kharif 2006 to Rabi 2007–08) under Front Line Demonstration Programme in oilseeds in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. There was a wide yield gap between the potential and demonstration yields in oilseeds mainly due to technology and extension gaps. Maximum extension gap was found in soybean, followed by gobhi sarson and the least in case of sesame. By adopting the improved production technology, oilseeds productivity could be raised upto 127% in soybean, 89% in sesame, 111% in linseed, 114% in toria and 93% in gobhi sarson. The improved technology package has enhanced the profitability of oilseeds in terms of net returns besides incremental benefit: cost ratio which raised from 2.58 to 3.87. Technology index varied between 28.46 and 53.21% indicating that there is dire need to educate the farmers to adopt economically viable technologies for maximizing profits of oilseeds through intensification of productive inputs. Improved technologies have also increased the water use efficiency in oilseed crops in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
Economics, Extension gap, Front line demonstrations, Technology index, Technological gap
