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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Bhagalpur district of Bihar has been a traditional aromatic rice growing area, where the varieties, like Katarni, Tulsi Manjari, Badshahbhog, Br-9 and Br-10 are most common. This variety has been given Geographical Indication (GI) due to its unique and special quality trait which develops only in its GI territory area. Despite its uniqueness katarni rice is facing the threat of extinction, mainly due to declining irrigation facility, adoption of other high yielding rice varieties and adulteration by traders of non- aromatic rice grains with katarni with the profit motto. In the light of above context the present investigation was undertaken to study the constraints in production and marketing of this precious rice variety. The Garrett’s Ranking Technique was used for constraints analysis. Agro-biological constraints included low rainfall (Garrett Score = 65.48), for poor soil condition and high infestation of pest was expressed. Whereas technological constraints included non availability of improved seeds of katarni rice (Garrett score = 54.27) followed by poor quality of seed. Non availability fertilizer in the market in time was another aspect of technological constraint. It was found that irrigation was major economic constraints faced by sample farmers in production of katarni rice followed by its availability and charges on the basis of Garrett score of 55.70, 53.80 and 40.50 respectively. The marketing constrains included place of marketing, mode of transport, market agency and mode of sale of katarni paddy/rice. Among place of marketing village market was the most important constrain on all category of frams. The majority of sample farmer sold their produce in village market (Ranked 1st with Garrett score 66.67) followed by at farm (Ranked 2nd with G. score 33.33). The cash as well as credit both mode of sale was followed by the farmers in marketing of katarni rice in study area. The study suggests there is need for intensification of transfer of production technology particularly assured availability of quality seed and remunerative price to the produces. This will not only help in protection of katarni rice, pride of Bihar and enhancing the income of the farmers. The katarni rice growers may be encouraged to form a Producer Company to harvest the benefits of various Government programmes.