Status of Mechanization of Orchard Farming in Districts Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur (Punjab)

The present study was undertaken to fnd out the mechanization level in orchards. The survey was conducted in the district Ferozepur and Hoshiarpur of Punjab. Information was gathered from the farmers about their land holding size, education qualifcation, type of orchard, farm machinery, type of orchid crop etc. More than 75% farmers who are engaged in orchard farming were educated. The number of farmers doing 100% utilization of their cultivated area for orchards were very few in district Hoshiarpur but 21% farmers were utilizing 100% of their land for orchards in district Ferozepur. More than 80% of farmers engaged in orchard farming were having tractor as source of power. 68% and 52% farmers were using rotavators for inter cultivation operations in district Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur, respectively. For the irrigation of the orchards, drip irrigation system was used by 34% and 23% farmers in Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur, respectively. Electric motor was the main source of power for water supply in Hoshiarpur district but diesel engine was the main source of power in Ferozepur district. All the farmers engaged in orchard farming in both districts were doing harvesting, grading and sorting manually.