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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 |
The study was undertaken with the objectives to assess reasons for mandarin decline and perceived constraints of the mandarin orange growers. The study was purposively conducted in the hill region of Darjeeling district in West Bengal where Darjeeling mandarin orange is the pride fruit of the region. In all, 150 respondents were considered for the study further 30 key respondents were also included in the study to understand evidently the reasons for decline in mandarin orange production. The study shows that weak farm management and lack of irrigation facility as perceived by key respondents and lack of irrigation and low availability of hired labour as perceived by mandarin growers were the major socio-economic reasons for mandarin decline in the study area. Old and nutrient-exhausted farms; problem of foot and root rot, powdery mildew and low soil nutrient content as perceived by key informants and problem of trunk borer, fruit fly, leaf eating caterpillar, leaf miner and problem of foot and root rot, powdery mildew as perceived by mandarin growers were the major biological reasons for mandarin decline. Long dry spells during winter lasting until flowering and temperature rise and shift in seasons as perceived by key informants and long dry spells during winter lasting until flowering and drying springs or streams near plantations as perceived by mandarin growers were the major environmental reasons for mandarin decline. Lack of local intuition for growers and lack of forward and backward linkages as perceived by key informants whereas mandarin growers had perceived lack of policy support for mandarin cultivation, lack of extension services and lack of institution for growers were the major institutional reasons for mandarin decline. Further, lack of regular water supply for irrigation was perceived as the major technical constraints and lack of credit facility was the major economic constraints. The existence of middleman was the major marketing constraints and poor quality of water was the major general constraints perceived by the mandarin growers.