A Study on Constraint Analysis of Rice Cultivation in Korba District of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

Rice is a vital staple food in Chhattisgarh, making it essential to address the challenges faced by rice farmers in the Korba District. This study focuses on issues related to rice cultivation and marketing in the region. The research was conducted in the Korba district, which comprises five blocks: Pali, Korba, Katghora, Kartala, and Podi-Uproda. Among these, the Katghora block was selected purposefully due to its significant paddy cultivation and associated challenges. Within this block, Vijaypur village was chosen as the study area. A total of 50 respondents, representing 22% of the farmers in the area, were selected for the study.Data were collected and analyzed using content analysis, incorporating qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, group discussions, and observation techniques. The findings revealed that the primary challenges in rice cultivation included a lack of knowledge about the recommended package of practices (Rank I), high costs of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (Rank II), and insufficient irrigation water (Rank III).On the marketing side, the major constraints identified were inadequate transportation facilities (Rank I), farmers being compelled to sell their produce locally due to low production volumes (Rank II), and issues arising from small quantities of produce (Rank III). Additional challenges discussed include crop diseases, insect pests, limited knowledge of improved, high-yielding, and disease-resistant varieties, and insufficient institutional support during both production and marketing.