Role of protected technology in improving farmers' income: Empirical evidences from net house vegetable cultivation

The study has examined the socio-economic characteristics, differentials in costs, returns along with use of chemicals at production stage in vegetables cultivation in net house and open field systems. The state govt. provided subsidy on net house structures thus financial viability of net house investment with and without subsidy was analyzed. Production and marketing constraints faced by the vegetable growers were studied. The study is based on the primary data collected from 120 vegetable growers consisting of 60 net house vegetables cultivator and 60 open field cultivators in Punjab state for the year 2011-12. The net house vegetable cultivation was adopted by the large farmers, who are educated and progressive and were members of one or the other Farmers’Society/Club/Organization and had more extension contacts. There was a substantial difference in yields, prices, costs and returns of all the vegetables grown under net house and open field conditions. Chemical used in terms of fertilizers and pesticides were lower in net house vegetable cultivation in almost all vegetables than that of open field. It was found that net house investment was economically viable with subsidy and even without subsidy. The major constraints identified by sample vegetable growers were low price of vegetables followed by perishable nature of vegetable crops, exploitation by middlemen/commission agents etc. Net house vegetable growers demanded special-marketing arrangements for their produce by giving incentive price.